“It is likely that more people will see impacts on their mental health and well being than will suffer serious physical affects of the illness.” – Canadian Psychological Association.
With public concern focused primarily upon the risk of infection from COVID-19, little attention is being afforded the psychological impact of forced isolation. Homo sapiens is a social species, and social contact is considered to be a fundamental human need, critical to well-being and survival.
According to Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, and author of “Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review”, lack of social connection presents health risks equivalent to smoking or alcohol abuse. She's also found that loneliness and social isolation are twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity. "There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators," Holt-