Coping with lockdown

[Shane McKenzie]

Anyone else live alone and struggling with the isolation from lockdown? Doing my head in.

 

[Ophiolite]

I read your thread when you opened it, but chose not to respond as, though I am in lockdown, I am not living alone. However, returning an hour or so later I see you have still had no replies. That struck me as ironic, since it must seem you are talking to an empty planet. Until someone in a similar position as yourself turns up, I guess you are stuck with me!

I imagine you have been trying all the standard approaches. Just in case you missed one, here are some thoughts off the top of my head:

• TV: It doesn't have to be mind numbing soap operas. There are great documentaries, old movies, gems of comedy programs, box sets of classic dramas. The range is obviously expanded greatly if you have a subscription to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.
• Reading: If you don't have much of a home library, perhaps now is the time to order two or three of the classics you always meant to read, but never got around to, or revisit a favourite from childhood. There are oodles of free books available online (I can post links to some of the better sites if you wish), while most of the sellers accessible through AbeBooks Australia & New Zealand | Shop for Books, Art & Collectibles are still distributing.
• Exercise: Since my main form of exercise before the lockdown was watching sport on TV, I've been sidelined! I am led to believe there are hundreds of YouTube videos offering exercise advice, many of which would be practical regardless of the size of your home.
• Language: why not learn a foreign language? Learn a language for free is free and offer courses in several languages that you can take at your own pace. The material is not perfect, but it's quite good fun. Of course, there are bunches of alternatives.
• General Education: there are a multiplicity of courses on just about everything. Standards vary from the outstanding to the atrocious, so it pays to investigate several options for your favoured topic. But that's good, since it give you a chance to engage your critical faculties.
• Webcams: I enjoy looking in on cities and locations around the world via publicly accessible webcams. One of my favourites is this one of Milan Cathedral, which I've visited several times. A Search will turn up thousands of examples, but if you wish I can supply a long list of possibilities.

I hope there is something in there you had overlooked and offers some respite. Take care.

 

[Amittai]

We have got to supplement these things with face-to-face which I was always doing at more than 6ft intervals all along, and so were the people I knew.

 

[Ophiolite]

We have got to supplement these things with face-to-face which I was always doing at more than 6ft intervals all along, and so were the people I knew.

That may not be practical for some. It seems that might be the situation with @Shane McKenzie , so your post wasn't entirely helpful. What about those in high risk categories, where real or imagined dangers make routine social distancing (even at more than 6ft intervals) concerning?

Face-to-face online works for me, but not for everyone. There are some people whose line capacity can't cope with video. The only hardships I've personally experienced in this are being unable to select cut price vegetables at the supermarket, not visiting second hand book shops and having to worry about friends and family. These aren't real hardships, so I am - because of my naturally reclusive character - largely unaffected. I feel for the gregarious types who thrive on frequent, extensive human contact.

 

[JAM2b]

I think one thing that is important to remember is that this isn't going to last forever. It is temporary. There will come a time when it is safe and allowable to be socializing again.

Track the time and compare it to your life as a whole. We have really only been doing this since March. Consider how much of your life you have already lived and how long the rest of your life will be. The duration of this time of pandemic, when all said and done, will be just a bump in the road when considering how long it lasts.

Focus on how it is benefiting you and everyone else in society. Value your life and well-being, and the lives and well-being of others, more than what you are missing right now. This is easier to do when you keep in mind that doing this now, will allow us to be with others in the future. Whereas not doing this now might mean the suffering, loss of physical quality of life, and possibly death for yourself or others.

Reframe what we are going through in that way that is often being shared, "Not 'stuck at home,' but 'Safe at home.'"

Be grateful that you are not sick. Be grateful that living in a first-world society means we have clean water and food and entertainment while staying safe at home. If you lived elsewhere, you might not be this fortunate. Realize that this mental and emotional suffering that is being endured during our isolation is not as detrimental as suffering from this illness is for many.

 

[JAM2b]

Also, do you have a pet? If not, could you get one?

Another thing, is there some safe and acceptable way that you could volunteer to help others? This might give you some limited and protected human interaction. Helping others can be therapeutic when we are having a hard time coping with our circumstances.

 

[Ronit]

Anyone else live alone and struggling with the isolation from lockdown? Doing my head in.

I dislike it very much too and going shopping with al the distancing is making it a real chore!
Keep your chin up

 

[bèlla]

I think this is definitely affecting some more than others. My friend reminds me of the days between his last human interaction face-to-face. Now he’s longing for a pet but can’t have them where he is. I don’t know if he could muster another month.

I work from home. So its business as usual. I made a few adjustments nevertheless. I didn’t discuss the situation for two months (online) and avoided conversations about it. I signed up for a four week program on intentional living that provided a weekly focus. It directed our attention from the media into life changing adjustments we needed for the present season.

To keep me on track, I joined a mentored life coaching community. We have weekly sessions with a monthly theme and required tasks. Our business group is busy with twice weekly meetings to help us capitalize on opportunities. And I’m doing a writing challenge.

For me, the ideal approach was separating myself from the hysteria and diving deep on work and personal development. I used my downtime to catch up on programs or movies on the weekend. Communicating with others doing the same helped a lot.

~Bella

 

[dayhiker]

Since I'm generally comfortable with being alone its hasn't been too bad. I'm at 9 weeks of social distancing.
I have taken a day each week to walk on a trail I want to hike. I hike 11 to 18 miles each day that have hiked.
The negative is a I miss seeing my GFs. We are of course in contact thru social media and the phone. But that isn't as intimate as being in person.
Monday I'm planning on a trip to visit my father and I'm taking a weeks vacation at work. I work every other week and about half of that work time is from home.
So good and not so good is how its going for me.