Written by Yana Bryl and Alessandra Zanardi
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has taken a toll on almost everyone today. For the past two months, the world has been practicing social distancing or been in quarantine. This can be a tough time for a lot of people, especially those who don’t live with family. Long periods of isolation can cause mental illnesses, such as depression, as social interaction is a basic human need. Contrary to popular belief, even introverts need social interaction. They just need it in their way. “I feel like I’m dealing with all of these problems on my own. I feel like I’m invisible.” says an anonymous source from MAST@FIU.
Many doctors are experiencing burnout from the endless hours in the hospital. The mortality impact of depression causes shorter lives and more risks to disease. A 2018 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 22% of adults in the United States struggle with chronic loneliness, that’s more than the number who smoke or have diabetes. People who struggle with such loneliness seem to have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, fragmented sleep, and depression. Lonelier people may even live shorter lives.
During these times individuals need to prioritize their mental health, but how?
Thankfully, technological advancements provide one key feature that most people are using to cope during this time. Social media. This is the closest way we can come to genuine social interactions without putting lives at risk. Things such as Facetime are a step up from texting because the two or more people can see each other's emotions and expressions properly.Exercising is also a great way to navigate stress during this pandemic!
There is an app called FItOn, which is free and easy to use. The app allows individuals to work out at home and they even have a section dedicated to “Quarantine” workouts. Even if you are not a fan of working out you can use this app for meditation. There is a wide array of videos for anyone, they range from low intensity to high intensity and so do the lengths of the videos. The videos are accessible to anyone and the trainers give viewers tips and tricks on how to work out in the proper form. FitOn also has nutritional articles as well as tips on reaching your goal.
Another way that individuals have been dealing with the stress of the pandemic is through online streaming services. Disney +, ESPN, and HULU are having a special bundle where you can get all three for 13$ a month. These services, as well as Netflix, have been seeing an increase in online traffic due to everyone streaming on them. Tiger King has quickly become a pop culture phenomenon over this pandemic with celebrities dressing up as Joe Exotic.
People are also using art to find peace. One student in particular has been taking her love of art to the next level. Sascha Agenor has decided to open an online store where she is selling her paintings.
She said that “Painting is really the only way I’m staying sane during this quarantine period. It gives me something to focus on. When you’re painting, it’s like it’s just you and the canvas and nothing else matters. I painted these pieces a while ago, but I decided to open up my own online shop where I made prints of some of my work. I’m looking into expanding into more products but I’m just selling prints right now. Starting your own business is scary but exciting. All in all, I’m just happy to be able to do what I love.” If you are interested in Purchasing Sascha’s paintings you can visit her website: https://www.thelourdmakesart.com/.