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.
