Humans need to relate; we are a species that, thanks to interaction, learns, strengthens our relationships that provide us with affection, security, and self-confidence, as well as confidence in our environment.
Why do people need to socialize?
Society, composed of the people around us—family, parents, teachers, friends—is key to creating and strengthening our identity and personality. At this point, it is important to emphasize the innate need we have to go out, without fear, to interact with people in our environment, to feel part of the group, and to share our joys and sorrows.
Emotional consequences of lack of freedom
Due to the International Health Alert situation that the entire world population is experiencing, inhabitants are beginning to personally live the consequences of the lack of freedom.
The emotional consequences that this entails are:
Emotional consequences in children and adolescents
Going out, the school routine… serve, among other things, to expend energy, interact with peers, and maintain a routine that provides emotional stability. The lack of freedom can lead to frustration, anger, and general irritability in these cases, but it becomes more evident in this type of population, as they do not have the same reasoning capacity as adults.
Emotional consequences in adults
Feelings of anger, anxiety, loneliness, and sadness are the most common these days. As for the first few days, it is normal to feel a state of shock. In this initial state, people do not react to what is happening; it seems unreal and distant. However, as the days pass, the adult population begins to realize that the situation is real, so it is normal to feel anger and sadness.
Emotional consequences in older adults
This sector of the population is one of the most vulnerable. On the one hand, many of them live alone, which increases feelings of loneliness. On the other hand, the fear of illness and death becomes more palpable for them, as they are the ones who are most suffering the consequences of the Coronavirus.
Considering that the situation of lack of freedom leads to anger, sadness, anxiety, frustration, and even fear, an increase in cases of depression is being observed.
The use of technology to avoid feeling alone
In many cases, we have believed ourselves immortal, capable of breaking the laws of nature, but now, the coronavirus has shown us that reality is quite different. In this situation, it is important to engage in introspection, observe ourselves, and practice humility. Staying in contact, even virtually, will help us connect with the people we love and provide mutual support, because that is the only way to overcome this situation successfully.
It is time to stop, relax, and learn to live in an insecure world that is also full of opportunities.