Dear Readers: People, by our very nature, are social. We visit friends and neighbors, go to parties, go out to eat and to the theater, and wander the mall or the shops downtown for healthy and fun contact with friends, family and meeting new people. But then, here comes COVID-19.
Full stop on calling on our neighbors. Restaurants closed. And those bastions of social interaction and news of the neighborhood, beauty parlors and barber shops? Also closed.
What if you're not handling it well? What if you're lonely? Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov) agree; loneliness (a feeling of bleakness, sadness and desolation caused by being by yourself) is as much a health risk as smoking, being overweight, depression and a sedentary lifestyle. A greater risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke are also fueled by social seclusion.
But don't despair. Help is available by reaching out to your family doctor. He or she can connect you to outlets in your community that can help. Your doctor can advise you on how to stay active and vital. There also might be mild antidepressants that can assist you in feeling better.
Agencies online can help too - chief among them, the AARP (AARP.org).
Things are slowly beginning to improve. We are learning how to cope with this new normal.
Being alone sometimes is fine and healthy, but if this isolation due to the COVID pandemic is causing you emotional distress, tell your doctor and get some help. - Heloise
King Features Syndicate