Actionable Strategies for Coping with Social Distancing

by Sri Regine Lherisson-Bey

Now that Covid-19 is officially considered a pandemic with global status, most people are eagerly seeking an escape from mental anguish. Since public health officials throughout the world have had to take drastic measures to control the spread of the disease, one of the most sensible rules being enforced is social distancing.

The Perils of Social Distancing

Even though social distancing has merit and enormous advantages, it also comes with its load of psychological drawbacks: depression, frustrations, and anger, all of them causing a tendency toward substance abuse as recourse. Many people are used to an active life that involves daily human contact and freedom of movement. As of now, scores of individuals are newly grounded. They are either working from home or are suddenly unemployed. They are also finding themselves experiencing cabin fever, fear, despair, and depressive states due to isolation and unexpected change that is disruptive.

Why Are People Afraid?

The generalized fear that insidiously prevails is understandably justifiable. Public health authorities have been announcing that the Coronavirus infection and mortality rates are mounting worldwide daily. Besides this statement, newscasters are announcing how quickly numerous Coronavirus victims are succumbing to the infection. Moreover, government experts posit that the situation is expected to get far worse before it gets better. To top it all off, they confirm that it could take months before things get better. Highly influential figures are stating to the media that they are afraid and/or infected. Based on the understanding that there is no standardized testing and no cure, metaphorically, people are panicking on cue.

Additionally, technologies such as virus testing, vaccines, and medicines are either not yet available or not reliable enough for proper stabilization of the situation. Rightfully so, frightened people are terrified of becoming the next statistic.

Fear, a toxic emotion,  becomes a pathological issue when it is chronic while based on uncertainty and unpredictability, in addition to helplessness.

But… There is Hope!

For those who are experiencing despair during these trying times, below are many simple, actionable ways to maintain a modicum of mental sanity and eventually, attain homeostasis.

The following suggestions can prove to be very useful for surviving social distancing:

1. Practice unconditional kindness with others and oneself. A little kindness can go a long way. In a time when everyone is experiencing mental stress, kindness has therapeutic value; it is also likely to be more easily appreciated and remembered. It goes without saying that unless one is kind to the self, it is a tall order to be kind to others. In a time of noxious social polarity, humans of lower consciousness must be attitudinally retrained.

2. Lighten up and allow yourself to find something to be content with or laugh about. Favorite music, sing-along songs, oldies, funny movies, can all prove to have a therapeutic effect that is quick, effective, and non toxic. Be humorous.

3. Take some time to reconnect with others and check on them. Some people may need to hear a caring voice to help them get through the day. A number of individuals may be too entrenched in their fear or distress to want to express concerns about others, however consider checking on them anyway, as your good deed for the day.

4. Keep the body in healthy motion. Moderate exercises have valuable benefits. Develop an interest in yoga, Pilates, dance, rope jumping, walking, trampoline bouncing, or Qi Gong. These types of exercises promote lymph drainage and detoxification, as well as blood oxygenation that is healthy for brain function and moods.

5. Adopt a new, productive type of hobby, e.g: create healing videos, teach children and adults about environmental awareness and hygiene, play music, sing, reduce your carbon footprint to help avert climate change, reuse and repurpose plastic items, prepare homemade natural self care essentials, reduce noise, paint, draw, learn about the connection between environmental health and individual health, etc.

6. Engage in healthier eating habits that enhance immunity: juicing, detoxing from pesticides and phthalates, preparing simple but wholesome meals, exploring new spices and flavors, enjoying tasty homemade treats, and anything else that brings you pleasure.

7. Enjoy new, exciting, and innovative ways of grooming and nurturing the self with foot baths, fragrances, and aromatherapy.

8. Reconnect with Gaia. Spend time relaxing in a pleasant and quiet environment, meditate, set out healing intentions for the planet’s population, do gardening, innovate with flower arrangements, build bird feeders and hydration stations.

9. Use downtime to study the connection between the macrocosm and the microcosm. Know the uncanny similarities beetween the behavior of stars within the cosmos and blood cells within the blood stream. Research on cosmology and hematology can prove the intelligent necessity for each individual member of humanity to proactively collaborate with the collective. Harmony is imperative in promoting the structural integrity of the collective.

Advanced studies on the coherence of existential structures have proven the counterproductivity of toxic behaviors whose symptoms can be expressed as overcompetitiveness, selfishness (e.g. toilet paper hoarding), stinginess, divisiveness, bigotry-based isolationism, lack of integrity with one’s word, combativeness, dismissiveness, narcissism, and more. Only cohesiveness, not crass individualism, can ever benefit the collective. The wholeness of the collective is as strong as that of each of its individual parts.

10. Get professional mental health counseling as required.

11. Take the time to learn how to do a complete high quality overall detox. Your survival may depend on it.

Stressed out hunkered down people are certainly not going to want to tackle problem-solving tasks or address issues that are pending but considered to be tedious. This is a time for finding reprieve from mental anguish and major concerns such as becoming a casualty of Coronavirus.

How to Stop the Situation from Overwhelming You

Keeping the mind off the ordeal is the first step.

The second step is to distract the self by being pleasantly preoccupied with the wholesome activities mentioned above.

These strategies can eventually alleviate the load of worries and inconveniences associated with social distancing among other current situational stressors.

Historically, in times of tribulation, pessimists obsessing over the problem have had a hard time managing their survival, while optimists concentrating on the solution were more likely to overcome adversity.

“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

~ Gen. Colin Powell

Although being unwillingly isolated or self-quarantined may seem hard for many individuals not used to this type of grounding, the tragic situation nevertheless contains some blessings in disguise.

Due to global issues with overpopulation and risks of unsustainability, at this time, in some ways, humans are being prompted to shift into a different lifestyle and upgrade their consciousness. The upgrade is intended to be ‘the new normal’. The prompt is about being:

√ More conscientious about hygiene, for the sake of disease prevention.

√ More mindful of others due to inevitable connectedness.

√ Aware of the necessity of upgrading one’s immunity.

√ Conscious of the fact that environmental toxicity adversely affects the immunity of all life forms on the planet.

√ Skilled at using technology for effective and rapid human communications.

√ Able to plan ahead.

√ Proactive about preparedness.

√ Adaptable when facing adversity.

It is the knowledge and application of all of the above combined that can help ensure sustainable life for the biosphere and its population. The foreseeable future codepends on planetary sustainability, reversing climate change, and preventing plagues.

Innately, humans are social beings. For the purpose of fostering optimism, some resourceful and mindful earthlings are currently  mitigating the situation by turning Coronavirus restrictions from social distancing into distant socializing. It is an adaptable model! A word to the wise: find the pearl in the oyster!

In my book HOW TO DETOXIFY YOUR LIFE NATURALLY, I have provided ample data about effective ways to prevent illness by detoxifying the self, the environment, the home, and all areas of life.

Secure your original of the book today.