top of page
Search

What Happens to Our Social Brain When We Are Social Distancing?

Writer's picture: Patricia FaustPatricia Faust


Our brains are hardwired to connect with other people. This all started with our prehistoric ancestors who gathered together in the face of danger. Their survival technique of being in groups has been passed all the way to us. Social distancing in the era of coronavirus is completely contrary to our need to be together. The mandates from our government to self-isolate and follow social distancing guidelines are contradictory to our social instinct. What can we do?

In pre-pandemic days our need for social media and the internet were thought to be isolating. Now it seems, this is how we will survive social distancing. They provide a means of connection with others even though it doesn’t satisfy our need for physical closeness. Free access to the internet can make a positive contribution to public health.

Humans Need Each Other to Survive

Connecting is essential to what makes us human. As this crisis goes on, we begin to wonder – how much longer can we make it? Distress starts to settle in. The magnitude of what we are dealing with now and the changes the future may bring can be overwhelming. Julianna Holt-Lunstad, an expert on the psychology of human connection at Brigham Young University says that “distress over social distancing is normal. It is our body signaling a need to reconnect. Just like hunger signals us to eat, and thirst signals us to drink water, loneliness is thought to be a biological drive that motivates us to reconnect.”

Social Distancing as Part of Our Ordinary Social Life

You might just feel as if you are losing an important source of emotional comfort. Your physical contact with people you love but can’t touch is replaced by virtual hugs exchanged over FaceTime of Zoom. I have a new granddaughter who is now just 5 months old. Since I was able to see her last she has learned to roll over, sit up and splash in the bath. My son and daughter-in-law are very good about sending photos and videos of all her triumphs. But I am sad because I can’t be there to see it for myself. These events come and go and the excitement of the ‘first time’ is gone.

The inability to touch another person is distressing. A good hug solves many problems and helps temper emotions. It can give us a sense of security and that everything will be okay. Handshakes communicated sincerity, and self-assurance. It doesn’t look like those will be happening in the near future.

To sum up the area of research on whether virtual hugs can give you comfort, the findings suggest that, as the new rules of social interaction become part of your reality, your brain will provide you with some form of consolation. Your brain will adapt and take this new reality in stride.

Social Isolation Is a Major Risk for Morbidity and Mortality

This is pretty blunt: “When leaders recommend ‘social distancing’ to combat a pandemic such as COVID-19 they are starting another one: loneliness. Thus, if we don’t die from the virus, we die from loneliness.” (Azab, M. Psychology Today, March 21, 2020)

Social isolation and loneliness are deadly. They can put you at a higher risk of a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a compromised immune system, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and even premature death.

Social isolation severely interferes with the neuroendocrine stress mechanisms – the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA for short). The HPA operates the chronic stress cycle. The more chronic the isolation, the more our HPA becomes dysfunctional. The more affected the HPA axis is, the higher our risks for physical and mental illnesses.

Social Engagement Is Desperately Needed During a Pandemic

What??? And How???

We have to use the technology we have to stay connected. Here are some suggestions:


· Connect more intimately with the people who live with you.

· Stop texting (!) and FaceTime instead.

· Join an online book club.

· Plan a small online party using applications such as Zoom.

· If you are an introvert, then enjoy the permission to be alone.

· If you are an extrovert, this allows you to pause and spend some time to learn about yourself.

· Shift your old mindset from doing to being.

· Critically reflect on your routine before this pandemic. Think out loud with a trusted person.

(Azab,M. Neuroscience in Everyday Life)

References:

Azab,M. (March 21, 2020). Can social brains obey social distancing? Retrieved April 29, 2020 from http://www.psychologytoday.com.

Inverso,E. (March 28, 2020). Connection, belonging, and purpose in the world of social distancing. Retrieved April 29, 2020 from https://beckinstitute.org/connection-belonging-and-purpose-in-the-world-of-social-distancing


Welch,C. (April 15, 2020). Are we coping with social distancing? Psychologists are watching warily. Retreived from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/04/psychologists-watching-coronavirus-social-distancing-coping/#close

Whitbourne,S.K. (April 14, 2020). This is your brain on social distancing. Retrieved April 29, 2020 from http://www.psychologytoday.com

30 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


     What's Happening?

2025 has certainly started off with a BANG!  There is significant chaos surrounding the start of now President Trump’s term in office.  He described it as ‘Shock and Awe’.  I would agree with ‘shock’, but I am not in awe of the beginning of his term.  Time will tell how this all plays out.  It does force me to get serious about my meditation practice, however.

Then most of the United States was under, first – severe weather systems and then the incineration of Southern California.  In my particular neck of the woods (Ohio/Indiana border) we had 15 inches of snow, subzero temperatures made even colder by high wind.  My gas and electric bill will be out of this world after this month.  It has been a long time since we have seen this type of weather.  In 1978, we had a blizzard where over 30 inches of snow fell, the Ohio River froze over, and I had a blizzard baby 9 months later (to the day)! Nothing like that this time though!

The natural disasters to hit the US this year have been catastrophic.  There was Hurricane Helene that devastated Florida but also caused so much flooding in the Southeast State of North Carolina that the town of Ashville was left in shambles.  This is a mountain town where you would never expect torrential flooding to occur.  The recovery has been slow, but it is ongoing. 

Los Angeles California is the home of many famous and affluent people.  The Palisades and Malibu are two cities you might have seen on TV shows or in movies.  They are on the Pacific coast and were extremely beautiful.  There is nothing left. The damage is unimaginable.  It is hard to understand how people will bounce back from this.

No matter where you live or are reading this, please keep these communities in your thoughts and prayers.  If possible, check out sources where you may make contributions to their recovery.

On a lighter note, The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will play each other in Super Bowl 59 on February 9 in New Orleans.  These two teams played each other in the 2023 Super Bowl and The Chiefs were the winners.  Grudge match in 2025?  We will see.

Make sure you check out the activities going on at the Virtual Brain Health Center.  Krystal and LeAnne always have a month full of activities, the book club, podcasts and guests who bring their expertise to share.  It is free and is worth checking out.  www.virtualbrainhealthcenter.com

I am available to book speaking engagements for The Boomer Brain and The Inside Workings of the Aging Brain.  All Boomers are feeling brain aging losses – tip-of-the-tongue, lost word, forgetting things and the slow down of processing. Request information and open dates through patricia@myboomerbrain.com.

“Pat has written a comprehensive quide to understanding and navigating the intricacies of cognitive aging. ‘The Boomer Brain’ is a beacon of hope for those seeking to enrich their later years.” Dr. Sarah McKay (Founder of The Neuroscience Academy)

Over the past few years, I have had a friend, Carol Meyer, who has been a part of My Boomer Brain.  Carol has her own publication, InFlow that is published quarterly.  It is amazing.  InFlow Magazine - Your Digital Dose of Inspiration is just that.  She has chosen some of my blogs to publish in InFlow and I am grateful.  She wants me to extend an invitation to look at InFlow for yourself.  Here is the link and access information:

 

https://inflowmagazine.gumroad.com/l/Issue11

Scroll to ‘Name a fair price’                                                                                           Enter ‘0’ in the ‘name a fair price’ field to get it for free

 

 

THANKS for being a part of My Boomer Brain! 

PDFLOGO.jpeg
bottom of page