And this one is all about yours, it’s not always about mine!
Wow how we are currently being bombarded with information and strangely still very trusting of the content –it's actually a positive reflection on who we are as humans.
But it is important to remember that at least 90% of it is opinion and not fact - that’s my opinion anyway 😁. See there I just did it, used an exact figure of 90% as if I have some authority on the subject and by the end of today someone will be quoting me which would be really cool. To understand that one’s opinion is based on personal perspective and also based on previous experiences. Currently perspectives seem to be changing almost daily – I know mine has – and will certainly continue to do so as we learn more about Coronavirus. But let us be cognisant of not only our perspective but of how it differs from others - a healthy, fit 34 year old will not have the same perspectives as an 80 year old with an underlying health condition. One needs to understand, and respect both.
“Unexpected events can set you back or set you up – it’s a matter of perspective.”
With the current Coronavirus crisis we see opposing perspectives daily – and many of these from experts. Do we lock-down the country to “flatten the curve” or protect the economy while isolating those most at risk (my current stance); millions are going to die or this is no worse than a bad year of the flu and most who will succumb would most likely have done so this year regardless; should we wear masks to slow the spread or we save scarce medical resources for the exposed healthcare professionals; and my favourite conspiracy theory – the virus was engineered in a lab vs the {insert your own swear word} country that still believes that anything that moves is there for their consumption.
It is interesting to see how the different sectors of society are responding to our new life as presented by the Coronavirus. Humans are social beings by nature and the living environments we create support and drive this. I see this in Barcelona where the small apartments necessitate an abundance of coffee shops on the streets to enable one to connect with others while sharing a story and a smile. In beloved Cape Town the mountains and beaches drive these interactions with like-minded friends.
It is not just our need for social interaction that drives our responses to this crisis, but also the economic impact of the lock-downs and quality of our lives. South African informal settlements have some of the highest murder and rape statistics in the world. The inhabitants have grown up with violence and death as an everyday reality of their lives. Try adding “flattening the curve” to their daily list of concerns; well, COVID-19 can just get to the back of the queue. Meanwhile on the other side of the equator in Spain, entering their 3rd week of lock-down, the current trending search phrase in Google is “me aburrido” – which translates to “I am bored”.
“abnormal reactions to an abnormal situation is normal behaviour” Viktor Frankle
Loneliness is bad; lock-down is good for some but not for others
Studies have shown that loneliness is detrimental to mental health, as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes per day (and I didn’t make that up). Lonely people are 50% more likely to die prematurely than those with healthy social relationships. Added to that, loneliness reduces your immunity and increases inflammation in the body – not what you want if you are trying to avoid catching COVID-19. Socially active people experience a higher level of both physical and psychological well being. By “socially active” I don’t mean the number of Facebook friends or Instagram followers; quality relationships and interactions matter far more than quantity. We all need a little inclusion and affirmation now and again.
Faced with extended lock-down I have seen friends taking a leap of faith on new relationships and bunkering down together, parents spending the quality time they wished they had before with their children and couples re-connecting. For those living alone social interactions are prohibited while for others it may be very unwelcome - lockdown has seen a sharp rise in domestic violence of between 20% and 40% across the world – in every country. And then you have Malaysia with their “don’t nag, dress up” posters for women at home, sadly not an April fool’s joke.
There are lessons for us here, let us use this challenge as a time to (virtually) reconnect with others and ourselves. To reach out to those we know in self-isolation and check-in regularly. Imagine if every one of us had a meaningful conversation with just one other person each day of our lock-down. This sense of isolation will be extremely stressful for all, especially since it goes against our core nature, that of coming together in times of crisis. Be aware of your and others varying emotional state
“Social media enables people to connect but will also fuel paranoia and panic"
As my 88 year old bullet of a father pointed out what would we do without what’s app - how things have changed. Video conferencing tools like Zoom and House Party, once reserved for large corporates, are suddenly common place. They help alleviate a little of the pressure by enabling anyone to host fun virtual catch-ups, drinks or dinner parties with multiple friends at a time. Staying connected has never been easier, it’s only limit is your imagination.
The nature of humans is our ability to respond in a crisis, show solidarity and help others. This is being seen across the globe with neighbours helping others and heartfelt campaigns, like saluting the healthcare workers at 8pm each night, all driven through social media campaigns. It is this unity that helps limit the negative impacts that these events can have on our mental health.
But… it can also be argued that this is a social media pandemic and much of what people are sharing has contributed to the current state of global lock-down. The sharing of unsubstantiated information, hoaxes and false stories – along with the mass sharing of numbers and graphs without context – has fuelled much of the current panic. And governments are playing into the sentiments of the people; none of them want to be accused of not doing enough. Governments control the disease (and by disease I mean the people) by controlling the information. More and more, much of the generated fear is being exposed as false; what NYC is putting out about their hospitals vs the reality as a prime example.
The addiction to the unfolding drama, grabbing our phones first thing in the morning for an update, drives up our cortisol levels of stress and anxiety and increases our heart rate and blood pressure. This encourages a paranoia of this enemy that we cannot see or feel and exacerbates our feelings of helplessness. So limiting social media usage, specifically in the morning and having only one or two well informed trusted sources will help. As my dad says if it’s not on BBC it didn’t happen 😁.
Continue to stay active and exercise (for help see my earlier blog post here). Schedule a balance of activities during your day, don’t just wing it or you will end up back on your screen the whole day. Keep working on those goals and plan, and hey, it is OK to just relax or read or meditate.
Nietzsche said; “he who has a why to live, can bear with almost any how”
Be there for each other and look after your well being
Let’s be honest, the world after this will be a very different place and it doesn’t all have to be bad. Let’s ensure the sense of togetherness we build now carries forward.
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