ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE
This post was originally written 4 year ago… On March 30th 2020, a week after the UK government announced the first Covid lockdown
Someone suffering from loneliness is constantly in fight or flight mode. The full extend of what this means and the impact it can have on anyone's wellbeing is the topic of Karen Dolva TEDx Talk, All the Lonely People. The Norwegian entrepreneur is the CEO and co-founder of No Isolation. I first came across her talk back in 2018, but it couldn't be more current.
This blog is meant to be a compilation of positive resources. But trust me, sometimes the most effective strategies require us facing some hard to digest truths. I struggled with depression for many years.
Having social-isolation imposed overnight has definitely sent pandora's box flying through the air.
And as it hit the ground and shattered right in front of my eyes, I realised how fortunate I am for knowing
1) This shall pass;
2) There is togetherness in a collective struggle;
3) I'm privileged enough to have digital means and who to reach out to through these difficult times.
Image by https://e24.no/
But what about those not as fortunate, who were already struggling? It seems before Covid-19, loneliness was the quiet pandemic threatening us all. As it happens, the most susceptible to isolation are now also amongst the most vulnerable to Coronavirus. Imagine how hard it must be for someone already facing loneliness to have it being institutionalised and expected from them?
You and me may have suffered or be suffering right now with anxiety, as a consequence of social-distancing. But we're fortunate enough to have come this far, to resources such as Karen's video and this blog. So think twice about that fight or flight response. Karen went as far as developing a telepresence robot for children with long-term illness and a one-button screen for seniors. For you and me, it may be as simple as reaching out to a friend or an elderly in our families. But it could also be volunteering for charities such as Age UK and so many more that can put you in contact with people who, as much as we do, just want and need to feel they're not alone. This is a battle we all fight together.
