6) Ensuring Best Writing Practices

Coping with Loneliness During the Covid-19 Pandemic

A Story of Hope: Fighting Loneliness by Raising Self-Esteem

"I have never felt so alone in my life". Perhaps you have heard these words recently or even said them yourself. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic these words are being heard more frequently as people continue to remain isolated from friends, family and general gatherings. As loneliness sets in, our minds become filled with doubts and fears which then begins to diminish our self-esteem. Loving ourselves is an important beginning to help fight those lonely feelings. You might be asking, 'how do I build up my self-esteem without my friends and family?' According to Bernard S Arons, MD of SAMHSA, these activities that can help you feel good about yourself:

1. Make a list of— (and re-read them often)

--10 ways you can "treat" or reward yourself that don't include food and that don't cost anything, such as walking in the woods, window-shopping, watching children playing on a playground, gazing at a baby's face or at a beautiful flower, or chatting with a friend

--10 things you can do to make yourself laugh

--10 things that you do that make you feel good about yourself

2. Make a 'celebratory scrapbook' or fill a shoe box that celebrates you and the wonderful person you are (pictures, cards, personal items, mementos, etc.)

3. Get a calendar with large blank spaces for each day and schedule one thing that you enjoy doing each day such as "go into a flower shop and smell the flowers," "call my sister," "draw a sketch of my cat," "buy a new CD," "tell my daughter I love her," "bake brownies," "lie in the sun for 20 minutes,".

For the full length article on the Building Self-Esteem, please click this link. https://bit.ly/BSEB_ref

@SoulfullyAButterfly

Using the information you just learned, write a paragraph (minimum of 100 words) for the article topic “Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic” - as this is only a paragraph and NOT the complete article, state a brief heading which will inform the reader whether your paragraph is about a general introduction or something more specific. Ensure your paragraph contains facts. Please note that you are to mention your sources too, as well as a link to at least one source within the paragraph.

Bonus: Consider using previous discussions to research and use keywords.

Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are You Starting to Develop Signs of Anxiety Conditions?

As some of us are having to leave our houses less and less, and sometimes can't to stay safe, many of us are feeling uncomfortable when we do have to leave our houses again and interact with other humans. This is incredibly tough. Some people are feeling more anxious because of the pandemic, but when does this become a concern? Signs of social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia are becoming more and more common among all of us, but having a few signs of a condition is different from having that condition. Let's review some of the common symptoms of both of these conditions together, and if you are concerned you may be experiencing symptoms, please speak with a doctor or mental health professional, you can speak with a therapist through our site here: https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/. You can also review our guides on Social Anxiety, Anxiety, & Panic Attacks for additional information and guidance.*

Sources:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (American Psychiatric Association)

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/agoraphobia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355987

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-agoraphobia-and-coronavirus-anxiety/

*if I was writing the whole article I would continue to review the similarities and differences between these two conditions and go into further details about speaking with a therapist about these issues and what treatment looks like

@SoulfullyAButterfly

What is loneliness? Why do we feel lonely? How do we cope with the isolation or separation caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic?

"Loneliness is actually a state of mind." (Cherry, 2020) It is therefore understandable why we would feel lonely. Situations arise that causes us distress and we are unable to connect with someone who understands what we are going through.

The Covid-19 Pandemic separates and isolates us from each other. Our minds are in a state of worry and fear. "Meaningful connection appears to help aleviate symptoms of loneliness." ( Jacobs, 2021) We must pursue creative ways where we could be heard and understood in order to cope with lonelinee in these times.

Cherry, Kendra. Very Well Mind

Jacobs, Victoria. APA

Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ways To Combat Loneliness in Covid Times

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has made it harder to be with our peers. Contact with the ones we love continues to be limited, and social and leisure activities are restricted, which can cause feelings of loneliness, especially if you have tested positive or need to self isolate at home.

It's natural to feel like this, and you should not blame yourself for feeling like you are struggling. I'ts also important to keep in mind that these changes won't last forever and before we know it, we'll be able to go back to normal again :)

However, while we're facing these hard times, the following tips may help:

1. Explore ways on how you can spend time with others: an online date with a significant one, hanging out while social distancing, etc

2. Check in with the ones you love regularly

3. Do more things you enjoy: develop a new hobbie, make new friends online, join a community that you love

4. Volunteer to help others

Source: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coping-loneliness-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

@SoulfullyAButterfly

Coping with loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic

Feeling happier as a student during the covid times

Students have been hit by the pandemic in a terrible way, resulting in lower academic performance, more physical health issues due to longer screen time and sitting hours, and the mental health conditions that have resulted in them as a consequence. The loss of in-person classes, meeting their peers, and not attending school events and activities that added to their happiness index has taken a serious toll on them, as reported by various students across the globe. This has led to increased anxiety, loneliness, and depression among other things in this population.

To cope with it all, several measures can be adopted including, but not limited to, maintaining a routine as the lack of one has resulted in the loss of motivation and increased stress among individuals.

One can also reach out to the people they trust and talk to them about how they feel as well as practice active listening and empathy.

In case of the unavailability of someone to talk to, one can always hop on to online services such as 7cups.com that offer free mental health support and even paid counseling services for adults among other free self-help resources!

The source referred to for information in this mini-article is the Michigan University Department of Psychiatry. Please click on the hyperlink for the related helpful material.

@SoulfullyAButterfly

Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Expert Suggestions for Keeping Calm and Carrying On

The covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we live, resulting in a domino effect on our mental health. In particular, loneliness, a major issue that affects our wellbeing, has been described as an “epidemic”. Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy expressed his concern about this “social recession”which has increased significantly because of stay at home orders. For obvious reasons, many are using social media to keep in touch with their loved ones, maintain relationships, share experiences, and create awareness among other things. However, the research suggests that social media use can sometimes become dysfunctional as it is simply not the same as meeting someone in person. When the use of social media continues to be more frequent than pre-pandemic levels due to the ongoing pandemic, it can reinforce negative emotions and feelings of anxiety as reminder of how difficult our lives currently are.

However, there are some healthier ways to stay connected virtually, with a great example being 7 Cups, "the world's largest emotional support system"

Rethinking how to deal with loneliness in this pandemic

With the pandemic not coming to an end anytime soon, coping with loneliness is becoming harder. People react to crises in very different ways. Some resort to a quick FaceTime with a friend or some try to find solace in a new hobby. But knowing how many of us are in the same boat, we can together contain the feeling of loneliness and battle this pandemic right out of the ground. The best way to go is to find the correct way, keeping in mind that what might be good for me, might be different for you and vice versa. How can you find the best way for yourself? Trying different things to see what works best, and always know that it's okay to seek for more support. Some activities include joining an online community, learning an instrument, sharing your feelings but not comparing, check-in with a friend, practice mindfulness.

Source: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coping-loneliness-during-coronavirus-outbreak/

Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dealing with Isolation During the Pandemic

With the COVID-19 Pandemic socializing has become very hard.
Being isolated can make you feel down, and without coping methods you could have increase your risk of a mental condition. There are ways to cope, however. One of them is socializing with people you know, online. Talking with someone you know can really make you feel better, and even though we need to social distance, that doesn't mean we need to distance ourselves from socializing apart. Another way we can cope with isolation is using healthy distractions. Healthy distractions include doing a hobby that you love, or listening to your favorite song. Not all distractions are healthy though. Unhealthy things that could make things worse are doing things like self harm or using alcohol or drugs. Those things can become very addicting and can cause more problems for your mental health. Other things to avoid are social media and the news, both of which are very draining and can make you think more about your isolation. Whatever you do just make sure you know that how your feeling is important and you should get help if you're getting too stressed out. You DO matter!

Information for this came from this article:

https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-cope-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus-4799661

Which was written by Arlin Cuncic, in March 27, 2020

Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 and the disruption of student life

When the pandemic struck we had to find new ways of functioning in all spheres of our lives. And whilst health was, and still is the biggest concern for many, we sometimes forget how this worldwide crisis affected our education systems.

This is especially true for foreign students studying abroad, or those who had plans to do so. It’s difficult enough not being able to visit family and friends, but now school curriculums and teaching methods are changing on a day-to-day basis.

If you’ve read this far, I hope you will do something good for your well-being today. And when you’re done with that, check up on your children. Remember – their futures are at stake.

Resource: the-impact-of-covid-19-on-education-insights

Hello @SoulfullyAButterfly

Write a paragraph for the article topic “Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Loneliness and Boredom: A devastating combination

It so rarely happens that the entire world is in the same situation. On some level, it is humbling to know that we are not alone in this; we are all in the same boat. But then we realize that each one of us has a different boat (home), and we are confined within its parameters. This restriction on freedom can cause various emotions and turmoil. Thus, we need to keep our eye on the prize and take care of our physical, emotional, and mental health to the best of our abilities.

There is a fine line between 'being alone' and 'being lonely'. This line gets blurred when we get compelled to stay at our home for an extended, indefinite amount of time. Our routine is our equilibrium, keeping us stable, organized, and on the right track. For example, going to school/work, meeting with friends/coworkers/peers, and going out for the evening or dinner. A routine like this is the reason we do not get monotonous. And when this routine is disturbed suddenly, it becomes frightening.

Therefore, we need to be aware of some coping mechanisms so we do not have the devastating combination of being lonely and bored at our hands. These include staying in touch with friends, cultivating an indoor hobby, volunteering on online platforms, etc. Anything which provides a medium to interact with the real world virtually will do.

References: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-cope-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus-4799661