Written by: Phillipa Brown, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As we enter our third year of isolating ourselves in our homes and wearing face coverings in public, there's little wonder why people have lost touch with friends, loved ones and passers-by. We have been unable to regularly gather with family and friends for important events like birthdays, weddings and funerals, let alone catch up for the odd occasion like we used to. Because of masks, gone are the days of a friendly smile on your way to pick up your morning coffee or that gestured nod by those you regularly recognised on your way to work. Social interactions were absent from our everyday lives, even in their smallest forms.
Social attitudes have changed and evolved throughout the pandemic, just like everything else. People are far less social than they used to be, where the idea of filling up the social calendar again is being presented with mixed emotions. Anxiety is common among apprehensive individuals, particularly those afraid of contracting the virus or who struggle with social anxiety. Getting back to normal is mounting pressure on those who have so far managed to evade facing their fears through avoidance.
Although there is no official theory about how and why the social landscape has changed, I can offer some suggestions: first, based on a survey I conducted, people appear to be less social by choice. Out of sixty respondents, just shy of half stated that they had become used to being less social and had come to enjoy it; one-quarter of respondents were looking forward to the return of social events, which on the contrary, met the same number of people feeling highly anxious about returning; and the remaining small percentage of people were accounted for not having been social before the pandemic anyway.
From the survey, it's difficult to determine whether this outcome results from complacency or something more sinister like developing a type of pandemic, 'Stockholm Syndrome,' linking positive feelings to prolonged periods of house arrest. More plausible theories might suggest being a result of a much higher percentage of human interaction occurring online or that people have forgotten how to socialise. Nonetheless, it makes room for an important discussion around social re-adjustment, post-pandemic.
Humans are social creatures where our brains literally thrive from the interaction. Research led by scientists at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Centre at North-Western University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL – has shown that prolonged isolation affects memory and verbal recall. Humans need plenty of interactive stimulation to keep their brains in good order, so if you've been feeling a bit forgetful these days, lockdowns may have played a part. Social contact offers a protective factor against memory decline and neurodegenerative disease. Further, it helps you deal with stress and has been linked to lower levels of depression and anxiety. Technology has offered significant benefits for social contact, but people need to connect in real life despite its continued popularity. Technology is like the junk food of communication where we're just exchanging lots of tiny messages that make us feel good but aren't that great for us, whereas face-to-face interaction is where we digest the maximum density and richness of a relationship.
Based on a small snapshot of peoples' attitudes toward returning to social events, you're not alone for those feeling a little socially rusty. Suppose you find yourself in the category of enjoying a less active social life than you did before the pandemic, a gentle reminder that real-life social contact can benefit your mental and physical health. Some ideas to help your transition back to healthy interactions may entail; prioritising social interaction in your personal and professional life. Even if you're still working from home, make time for workplace lunches again as well as informal lunches and coffees. It is often these informal catch-ups that we learn the most. Further, use technology to facilitate, not replace, social interactions. As the digital transformation continues to grow, find a healthy balance between your online and in-person interactions that work for you. Lastly, interact with those who make you happy. Research shows that the detrimental effects of negative social exchanges are more potent than the beneficial effects of positive social exchanges.
Phillipa Brown, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
"Phillipa is a psychologist, entrepreneur and mother. She has a passion for helping people work through issues to construct positive and meaningful life changes. She believes the essential component of an effective relationship in therapy is forming a safe place to enable the mind to engage in transformative processes such as curiosity and self-exploration.
Phillipa is the founder of MeHelp Psychology, an online therapy platform focused on empowering people to access psychological support through digital methods. Before starting her business, Phillipa’s psychology journey began 15 years ago, and she has since worked across various settings in community mental health, volunteer organisations, schools, universities and private practice. When she is not working from her Melbourne base, she enjoys spending time with her young family in the Victorian countryside, where she has deep family roots. "
