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My psy homework is hitting close to home, and my upcoming article for @NMNewsPort . Hawkley & Cacioppo (2010) concluded loneliness is directly related to a host of health problems. #CJ475 (a thread)
As I write in my article, side affects of loneliness include low-quality sleep, higher blood pressure, increased anxiety, just to name a few. The main point here: it impacts the immune system negatively.
So why am I telling you this? Because of #COVID19; people are told to isolate: no meeting up with your big group friends, no hugging, only go to the store when necessary.
However, this isn& #39;t a new topic or breaking news. But I wanted to point out one more thing Hawkley and Cacioppo discovered. Having few social supports isn& #39;t the determiner, it& #39;s the perception of one& #39;s support.
"Some people who have few social supports are not lonely, and some people with many social supports do feel lonely," Matsumoto & Juang (Culture and Psychology).
Again, this isn& #39;t new information or breaking, but it& #39;s a nice reminder to check in on people. Even if you& #39;re at home with your family, or living with your S/O, check in on them. Some people need more than being in the vicinity of others. Maybe they still ~feel~ lonely.
It& #39;s especially important to check on seniors. This is a graph made prior to #COVID19; it& #39;s only worse now. A simple call or letter could do a lot of good. (graph credit: welbi)
And if they don& #39;t want to talk to you, point them in the direction of online resources. There are so many of them. Including @UNMSHAC and @UNMWRC. Keep a look out for more in my upcoming article; and take care of yourselves/others.
There are a lot of self-care things you can do! And yes, there& #39;s a few included in my article. Go for a walk (6-feet apart from others), pick up a hobby, sleep-in, binge your favorite show guilt-free. And enjoy cute dog pics like these ones of Pip (with my dad) and Moose.
Some light reading. [Matsumoto, David; Juang, Linda. Culture and Psychology (Page 264).]
![Some light reading. [Matsumoto, David; Juang, Linda. Culture and Psychology (Page 264).]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWjbn_2UMAE9tMC.png "Some light reading. [Matsumoto, David; Juang, Linda. Culture and Psychology (Page 264).]")
