Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of loneliness had been gaining traction. Dubbed The Loneliness Epidemic, reports had been published and articles written highlighting the increasing feelings of loneliness that our tech-connected society endures across generations, especially Generations Y and Z.
Then governments rolled out social distancing orders and the spontaneous everyday interactions we so relied on vanished: the quick 'good morning' to our barista or exchanging weekeend plans around the water cooler with colleagues.
Here is one of the most important things to remember during The Era of Quarantine: everyone gets lonely and it is a blessing of being human.
Loneliness is a survival mechanism developed by our DNA millennia ago to protect us. Hunting and gathering in tribes reduced our likelihood of being eaten by wolves and increased our likelihood of producing offspring.
Human connection is a basic human need - like food and water. When you feel lonely, it’s your body telling you to go talk to someone, just like when you’re thirsty or hungry. But instead of listening to it, most of us turn to Netflix or social media.
Ignoring feelings of lonliness is a habit we need to collectively break - and quarantine is the perfect opportunity to do so, together.
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