Let's talk about loneliness

World Mental Health Day - Saturday 10 October 2020 

Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day, a day designed to raise awareness of mental health, tackle stigma and get people thinking about the mental wellbeing of themselves and others. 

I'd like to talk about something that will be affecting many of us right now due to reduced social contact. Loneliness. 

I have been feeling particularly low and anxious for the past week or two, and it took me a while to figure it out. I'm really lonely. Despite spending a lot of time on social media, or emailing colleagues, I really miss chatting with people in person. 

While I'm more than happy to be working at home, it means that I have very little in-person contact with anyone outside my household - even at a distance. My husband is back at the office so five days a week I have very little adult conversation during the day.

With current restrictions I can't choose to stand next to someone I know in the school yard and have a chat. 

I don't get to have incidental chats with colleagues about the little things that don't warrant a phonecall. 

I don't even get to have a natter with the nursery staff and other children anymore, because my kids get brought to me at the door at pickup time.

The saddest part of all this is that I know I'm one of the lucky ones, with a loving  family at home. Some people don't have that.

I'm finding the loss of these little encounters is having a big impact on me, as well as really missing my friends and family. I know it's the rules, it's keeping everyone safe etc, but I'm craving human contact. I'm sure I'm not the only one. 

Less than a month ago I wrote the post: A plea from the chronically ill: please don't go back to the old normal, about things I hoped would stick around after the pandemic. Already, despite still being in the throes of it, many of the things I wrote about have disappeared. People aren't checking on each other as much and everyone is sick to the back teeth of video chats.

If you're feeling this way too I just want you to know that you aren't alone. I'd love to say this post is going to give the answer to eradicating loneliness during this next phase of the pandemic, but I'm really not sure myself. Below I've jotted down some of the things I'm planning to do to try and help.

• Host a virtual pub quiz for work this evening
• Reintroduce video chats with friends and family
• Check on people I haven't spoken to in a while
• Interact more on social media instead of just posting 

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