Lockdowns have unintended consequences. Loneliness has risen from worldwide lockdowns. Lockdown loneliness has resulted in psychological and mental health problems for people around the globe. Lockdown loneliness is a problem that needs a solution during the Covid pandemic.
Lockdown Loneliness During Covid
The dangers of loneliness can cause depression, alcoholism, suicide, and mental health issues. Lockdown loneliness has resulted in a rise in alcoholism, mental health, and domestic abuse from the lockdowns. There was already a loneliness epidemic, but the lockdowns have only increased the problems connected to loneliness. It is harder for people to have social interactions with friends and family.
Depression
Depression symptoms have seen a three-fold increase from lockdown loneliness. These symptoms have risen from the emotional, physical, and psychological trauma from the lockdowns. Unemployment reached a record high of 14.7%, or 23.1 million, in April. It found that unemployment, or underemployment, causes depression. One of the consequences of the forced lockdowns have been rising unemployment numbers and depression.
Loneliness
The loneliness epidemic was already a problem before Covid. Intense loneliness has spiked with the lockdowns from social isolation. Loneliness affects health, particularly mental health. When you feel lonely, you may find ways to cope with loneliness. There are healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. If loneliness is not dealt with, it can lead to depression, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide. Lockdown loneliness is a problem during Covid.
Substance Abuse
As people experience lockdown loneliness and become depressed, alcoholism and drug use rise during Covid lockdowns. Alcohol and drugs are coping mechanisms when people are lonely, isolated, and unable to interact with others due to lockdown restrictions socially. An unintended consequence from the lockdowns could be the rise in substance use disorders as people turned to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism during the pandemic. Substance abuse places further stress on the healthcare system. The current pressure from Covid and the pressure will remain after the Covid pandemic ends.
Self-Harm
Self-harm has risen during Covid-19. Self-harm is when you hurt yourself on purpose. There has been a surge in self-harm during the pandemic due to unemployment, mental illness, and human social interaction loss. As Covid displaces more people, self-harm is a significant issue that has far-reaching consequences. Thoughts of self-harm can come when you feel helpless and lonely.
Suicide
Mental health experts warned about a rise in suicide from the lockdowns. Suicidal thoughts have increased, especially in young adults during the lockdowns. In October in Japan, data showed that more died from suicide than from Covid-19. As people are unemployed and use unhealthy coping mechanisms, self-harm and suicidal thoughts rise. The CDC has reported a doubling in the risk of suicidal ideation by people. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, said, “We’re seeing, sadly, far greater suicides now than we are deaths from COVID.” Lockdown loneliness has led to a rise in suicide.
Lockdown Loneliness During Covid Solutions
There are ways that you can deal with the lockdown loneliness during Covid. You can practice self-care. You can find a community online so that you have people to interact with during the pandemic. Suppose your loneliness is severe and you are self-harming yourself. You can find a psychiatrist or psychologist to help you during this time. Contact the suicide helpline if you have had suicidal thoughts or have considered suicide. Know that you will make it through this and that there are resources that can help you.
Conclusion
Lockdown loneliness during Covid is real, and the consequences are depression, substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide. These are health repercussions that have come from the Covid-19 pandemic. Social interaction is vital to personal health, but that has become difficult from the lockdown orders as people have been spending more time at home.
