The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

No, this is not a singles ad, so if you’re looking for love, this is not the blog post for you. 

            Connecting during quarantine? I know, I know, six feet right? Circumventing CDC recommendations is not what this blog is about! However, we are struggling with the inability to connect during this time.

In preparation for this blog, I found myself searching to find a topic about which I felt enthused to write. Hoping for some ideas and inspiration, I called upon a group of fellow moms whom I connected with when my first child was born.

I’ve read countless articles on how Covid 19 has negatively impacted mental health and how suicide deaths are predicted to rise as a result of the pandemic. Some believe that this is due to an over focus on physical health and a minimization of mental health during this time.

As social creatures we long for safe connections with others.  And yet often this experience eludes us and leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness.  What creates this disconnection? And how can we make a shift towards connection with safe others?  While this shift is very possible, I also recognize that it is very hard work. The hard work is well worth it when we find safe relational connections. 

Recently, one of the very first couples I worked with in private practice got married. As a therapist, it’s such an honor to be a part of helping someone, or in this case, a couple overcome challenges and strengthen their relationship to the point that they are truly ready for the commitment of marriage.

Just take a moment and consider how many “friends” you have? And don’t count the 500 plus social media “friends” you claim. How many can you name? How much time have you spent with them lately?  And how do you know they are “true friends?” This is a question exists in all stages of life: the young, middle aged, and the old.

I’ve heard time and again that “today’s generation” is on technology and electronic devices too much these days.  Whether it’s Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Stream Video Gaming, etc., young people of today get the blame.  However, research shows that people of all ages share, read, and post on social media venues frequently.  And if you walk the streets of any U.S. city all the way to downtown Hong Kong, you’ll find many people staring at their phones and not apologizing for it.