When you hear the term isolation, chances are you think about it in a negative sense. Isolation is a state of being alone or apart from others. Now, why is this a bad thing? Well, being isolated for a given time can lead to negative consequences in multiple categories of a person’s life.
- Social Effects
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- Emotional pain
- Lack of trust in others
- Change in worldview
- Mental Effects
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- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic Attacks
- Paranoia
- Cognitive decline
- Physical Effects
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- Heart disease
- Headaches
- Stroke
- Type II Diabetes
- Dementia
Here are some ways that isolation can affect us as Orthodox Christians.
- We are more likely to be tempted to sin.
- There is an increasing lack of fellowship.
- It can cause a lack of faith.
We have all undoubtedly been isolated at a point in time. When I was isolated, it made me depressed and lonely. It also increased my temptation to sin. Some might say, “Just call your friends on the phone and let them help you hold yourself accountable,” but talking on the phone and physically being with a person can have very different effects on your brain, which is why it affected me the way it did.
Fortunately, there are preventatives for the impact of isolation, and the solutions might surprise some of you because of how simple they are. Some examples include:
- Calling friends and family members. (I know, shocking :0)
- Trying new hobbies (i.e., going for a run, working out, reading, sewing, etc.)
- Joining or creating an online or in-person group that has similar interests as you.
There are many other ways to prevent isolation, but these are the ones I’ve seen work the best. For me, going to the gym, driving, and increasing my involvement at church got me feeling myself again. For my brothers, it was basketball. Everyone’s going to have a different way to solve it.
So what better time to eradicate your isolation than Great Lent! By the time you’re seeing this, Lent has already started, but better late than never. And whatever you do, whether trying a new hobby or joining a new group, always keep Christ beside you. Whether it’s making the sign of the cross or saying a quick prayer before a workout, or just attending church more frequently, keep Him with you in whatever you do and wherever you go.
- George Haddad, YES Intern