Reconnecting after Isolation

Book excerpt: How to keep calm, carry on, and reconnect during times of social isolation and emotional crisis. Although spending time alone for short periods may be restorative and helpful, unintentional or involuntary isolation can have profound detrimental effects on emotional and physical health. We all need social interaction and meaningful relationships in our lives to be well and thrive. Without them, we flounder. In Reconnecting after Isolation, Dr. Susan J. Noonan draws on our collective experience of the COVID-19 pandemic to help readers deal with the emotional impact of social isolation. Speaking as both a provider and recipient of mental health care services, Noonan combines her professional and personal experiences in an evidence-based and practical guide. Drawing on meticulous research and interviews with four psychologists, she outlines steps to overcome the emotional trauma of isolation. The book touches on how social isolation, loneliness, and stress affect each of us individually and can sometimes provoke depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality, and substance use. Describing specific lifestyle interventions that may help, it offers tips for • developing effective coping skills • facing isolation-induced fears adapting effectively to the changes in our personal, family, work, academic, and social lives caused by imposed isolation • finding effective, culturally sensitive mental health care • improving sleep hygiene • building and maintaining resilience • adopting a healthy diet • overcoming the fatigue burnout • grieving a loss • engaging in regular physical exercise • keeping a daily routine or structure • maintaining contact with others Dr. Noonan also discusses re-entry anxiety, the challenging experience many have upon returning to their prior lifestyle, and the difficulty of establishing new school and work routines following social isolation. Accessible and compassionate, Reconnecting after Isolation empowers individuals to manage their own challenges, offering them a better chance of recovery and of staying well.