Coping with the negative psychological effects of isolation

Quick show of hands: How many of you — in this time of great global health crisis — are eating, sleeping and/or drinking more than usual as a coping mechanism? Millions of you?? It’s clear from various posts on social media, not to mention “mainstream media,” that overconsumption is an obvious adverse result of isolation. People are consuming stuff in order to fill that little (or big) void inside of us caused by isolation otherwise known as “loneliness.” Admit it; some are binge-watching TV and Netflix, others are consuming a case of beer every other day (or more), and some are sleeping most of the day.

My advice (with which I’m sure a lot of medical professionals will agree) is this: even though the temptation to overconsume is very strong “during these uncertain times” (a phraise I am SOOOOO sick of hearing on radio stations, etc.), it’s best to try very hard to avoid (or dial down on) these negative coping behaviors. There are better and more healthy ways to deal with the negative psychological effects of isolation such as loneliness. Some people don’t want to admit to being lonely, but they are just fooling themselves. Shed the denial and hop on what I’m calling the “positive pandemic survival” bandwagon (rah, rah, rah!!!)!!! I’ll give you some ideas on how in a few paragraphs.

Since earlier this year, after the novel coronavirus, or Covid-19, was discovered in China and started racing across Europe and then the U.S., I’ve watched/listened to reports of businesses closing and…