Are you experiencing intense loneliness during the pandemic? Experts tell you how to deal with it

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The Covid-19 pandemic has induced a different kind of loneliness in the last one year. For people who did not experience it earlier, this period has brought a variety of symptoms to the surface, and the symptoms have only been aggravated for those who were already battling the feeling before the pandemic.

The current experience of loneliness cuts across age groups. It is evident not only among young people who are living alone in different cities but also in older people, children, and working adults who have been inconveniently confined indoors for longer than expected. While older people are not able to go out for their daily walks, children aren't able to play like they usually do. Teenagers and adults have had to replace their daily social interactions with screen time. So, unlike earlier when staying at home was actually enjoyable, it has now become a problem, say experts. City-based experts explain the one-year trend, why loneliness due to Covid-19 pandemic is different, and also suggest how one can manage the feeling.

Ask Dr. Kersi Chavda, Consultant Psychiatrist, P.D Hinduja Hospital & MRC, if there has been an increase in the number of such cases, and he says: "There used to be many people who were stable but now they have toppled over because of the current factors. There are a lot of people whose symptoms have now become apparent." Chavda says this fact only signifies the need for professional interference.

Dr. Kersi Chavda, Consultant Psychiatrist, P.D Hinduja Hospital & MRC

Loneliness before the pandemic and after
Now this feeling isn't unwarranted and even though it has existed long before the pandemic, there is still a difference. Firstly, it is important to define the general feeling of loneliness before getting into how the last one year has changed the way people are experiencing it.

City-based psychologist Mayuri Sangharajka explains, "Loneliness is an emotional state characterised by feeling hollow, undesirable, and cut off from social connections. The causes could either be internal such as depression, vulnerability and low self-esteem or situational also known as external, which are caused by a change in circumstances. By which I mean, if one moves to a new environment, there's a loss of a partner etc."

So, what stands out about the loneliness induced by the pandemic? She says the loneliness experienced during the pandemic is more situational and in that sense it is different. "It has brought several social restrictions and isolation which are leading to hopelessness and boredom for most individuals. As a result, people are doing everything they can to keep themselves occupied and distracted. However, instead of helping them, this is precipitating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders and insomnia," Sangharajka, head of Mpower Cell Management of the mental health initiative, Mpower, adds.

Can one beat loneliness?
Loneliness is natural and Sangharajka says nobody is exempt from the feeling especially during the pandemic as most people have felt cut off from their loved ones. The easiest way to beat it, according to both experts is to make use of technology and its many advancements.

"Try keeping in touch through phone calls as it is the easiest way to stay in touch," says Chavda. He adds, "If you are staying away, you don't have to call all the time. Don't get into a tiff that "Oh, I tried calling five times". There might be a genuine reason why a person did not revert. It's perfectly okay. Don't get your ego here. Just try to keep in touch."

Psychologist Mayuri Sangharajka, Head, Mpower Cell Management

The other way that people in the house can avoid a feeling of loneliness is by simply coming together for some time when everybody is free and engaging in a variety of activities that all can relate to. However, if someone is living alone and experiencing loneliness or just feeling anxious, it is advisable that they get in touch with the helplines that have sprung up in the last one year to help people.

While Chavda says these are some of the effective measures, Sangharajka believes being busy can also keep loneliness at bay. She advises, "Structuring your day also goes a long way in giving one a sense of routine and stability, planning your food supply, medications and other required supplies help."

Unwinding during the day can also help a great deal especially if one has a hobby like painting or playing a musical instrument. Joining a book club or other kind of club to meet like-minded people can also help most people.

Sangharajka believes it is important for the person who is feeling lonely to recognise that something needs to change. It will help avoid negative thoughts associated with loneliness, which can cause anxiety and depression, leading to social withdrawal. Practicing meditation and conscious breathing or other relaxation techniques can help.

Loneliness is here to stay
Both the city-based experts believe this Covid-19 pandemic-induced loneliness will linger and it will possibly change the way we interact with people in the future.

Chavda notes, "During the second lockdown, people are finding the necessity to reconnect with people and keep in touch and be in a place to talk to others. In the future, with the grim situation due to the pandemic, we could be seeing restrictions with the interactions we are going to have with people."

However, just like everybody else, Chavda hopes things will go back to normal and people will survive it successfully.

On the other hand, Sangharajka says the increasing mental health problems in India such as anxiety, stress, depression, low mood, helplessness, loneliness has changed the way people approach the subject. "Amidst a global health crisis, we are on the verge of a mental health crisis. Finally, it took a pandemic for Indians to take cognizance of mental health problems," she concludes.

Also Read: What is ‘languishing'? Mumbai experts break down that ‘empty' feeling with which many are struggling