How to stay social in social isolation
Social distancing. It’s a term plastered on every T.V. screen and every social media account. With the recommendation to only gather in groups of 10 or less, everyone is cancelling social activities (The Guardian). While we are trying to prevent sickness from spreading, we may in turn be making ourselves sick with social isolation. 1 in 5 Americans already considered themselves lonely before Covid-19 struck (The New York Times). Loneliness can do as much damage to your body as smoking 15 cigarettes (Campaign to End Loneliness). So how do we stay social in this time of social isolation?
Video Chat
There are a number of ways to have a face to face conversation while being in completely separate locations. iPhone users can simply FaceTime one another with the click of a button. If you are not an Apple user, try Skype on your phone or computer. Facebook even has a video chatting option through their messaging app. There are also free conferencing call services such as Zoom of Google Hangouts, that allow you to talk to multiple friends at once.
Phone Calls
Remember the days when you would spend hours in your room talking with a friend on the phone, because you finally got your own private line? Believe it or not the option still exists. It may not be as social as a face to face conversation, but it still allows you to hear emotion in someone else's voice. It's amazing how much of someone's tone we can misinterpret in a text message. Phone calls are the second best option if face to face interaction is unavailable (BADGER).
Communication Through Apps
There are many different apps today that allow you to communicate in different forms. Snapchat can send snippets of videos, as well as Marco Polo. Voxer is an app that makes you feel like a kid again with its live walkie-talkie feature.
Whatever the form of communication, make sure that you spend some time each day reconnecting with a friend or family member.
Written by Sharla Ball
