{"id":17820,"date":"2020-03-30T13:35:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T17:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/campusmentalhealth.ca\/?p=17820"},"modified":"2020-03-30T13:35:54","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T17:35:54","slug":"understanding-social-distancing-and-the-importance-of-social-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/campusmentalhealth.ca\/news\/understanding-social-distancing-and-the-importance-of-social-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Social Distancing and the Importance of Social Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"
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To slow the spread of COVID-19, the main recommendation from government and health officials for the immediate future is \u201csocial distancing\u201d also referred to as “physical distancing.”<\/div>\n
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For individuals with mental health concerns who have a tendency to socially isolate themselves already, it\u2019s important to understand that social distancing doesn\u2019t mean to cut yourself off from connection. Rather, physically distancing yourself from others as a means to prevent contagion of the virus is the sole intention of the direction coming from experts and officials.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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At a time when we\u2019re being encouraged to physically distance ourselves and stay away from public areas and crowds unless absolutely necessary, it\u2019s more important now more than ever to connect socially, especially for people who isolate as a symptom of a mental health concern such as anxiety or depression. Social inclusion is considered one of three particularly significant social determinants of health-related to mental health<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Research suggests that when people don\u2019t feel they belong socially, their mental health is often affected. Therefore, while we\u2019re being advised to participate in \u201csocial distancing,\u201d it\u2019s important for our mental health to remain socially connected while maintaining a physical distance. Whether you\u2019re someone prone to regular self-isolation, or you know someone who is, make sure you\u2019re checking in with others, whether by phone, text, video call, or your preferred social media platforms.<\/div>\n
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For more information on the importance of connection and advice on how to avoid social isolation, check out this article<\/a> in Psychology Today. Additionally, for tips on how to manage stress and support mental wellness as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, here are five suggestions<\/a> from Canadian Mental Health Association, York and South Simcoe\u2019s CEO Rebecca Shields and clinical director Dr. Deanne Simms.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the main recommendation from government and health officials for the immediate future is \u201csocial distancing\u201d also referred to as “physical distancing.” For individuals with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"topic":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUnderstanding Social Distancing and the Importance of Social Connection - Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/campusmentalhealth.ca\/news\/understanding-social-distancing-and-the-importance-of-social-connection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Understanding Social Distancing and the Importance of Social Connection - 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