Anyone who has lived through the coronavirus pandemic will probably understand that even a short period of isolation can cause physical and mental stress.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who returned to Australia after reaching a settlement with the US Department of Justice, suffered from various mental and physical problems during the nearly fifteen years he remained in isolation.
Assange was first detained in Britain in 2010 after Swedish authorities said they wanted to question him over allegations of sex crimes.
Having exhausted legal options to stop extradition to Sweden, he entered the Ecuadorian embassy in London in June 2012, where he remained for seven years.
He was jailed in early 2019 for jumping bail and held in London’s Belmarsh prison, where he spent much of the next five years fighting extradition to the US. Now go home.
While we have no idea how Assange is coping with being cooped up for so long with few visitors, we do know that isolation can have a serious negative impact on many people.
How lack of physical activity affects our body
Physical activity is vital for overall health. It keeps the heart strong, helps control weight, and strengthens muscles and bones.
Regular exercise also improves mood, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, and sharpens the mind. In addition, it strengthens the immune system, making it more resistant to infections and diseases.
When we don’t move enough, especially if we’re isolated, our health can suffer. Muscles weaken and joints become tight, causing us to lose strength and flexibility.
Heart health also suffers, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart attacks and strokes because the heart does not get the workout it needs.
Metabolic problems such as obesity and type 2 diabetes are more likely to occur with a sedentary lifestyle, especially if we don’t have access to healthy foods.
Isolation often means less fresh air and sunlight, both of which are critical to good health. Poor ventilation can cause breathing problems. Lack of sunlight can cause vitamin D deficiency, weaken bones and the immune system, and increase the risk of fractures.
These effects are consistent with reports that Assange suffered a mini-stroke in 2021 and suffered a broken rib due to repeated coughing fits while in isolation.
What about mental health?
Social disconnection takes two main forms, both of which have serious consequences for our mental health.
The first is social isolation. The reasons for isolation are many and varied, such as geographic distance, lack of access to transportation, or incarceration.
The end result is the same: few relationships, social roles or group memberships, and social interaction is limited.
The second form of social disunity is more subtle, but no less destructive.
Loneliness is the subjective and unpleasant feeling of wanting to have satisfying relationships with other people, but not having them.
You can be isolated and not feel lonely, but both are often undesirable. Social connections are not a luxury. It is a fundamental need, as essential to our health as food and water.
Just as hunger reminds us to eat, loneliness acts as a signal warning us that our social relationships are weak and need to improve if we are to remain healthy.
David Cliff/AP
The science on the health effects of social disconnection is clear, especially when it lasts for a long time. So much so that the World Health Organization recently established a Commission on Social Connections to raise awareness of the health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and gain recognition of this global health priority.
Much evidence shows that social isolation and loneliness are associated with poorer cognitive function and an increased risk of dementia, although perhaps in different ways.
Among adults over 50, chronic (that is, persistent and severe) loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of dementia by about 50%.
The lack of cognitive stimulation that naturally comes from interacting with others, whether old friends or strangers, may explain the link between social isolation and cognitive difficulties (think: “use it or lose it”).
On the other hand, loneliness can affect cognitive health by affecting emotional well-being. It is a known risk factor for depression, anxiety and suicide.
For example, research shows that adults who often feel lonely are more than twice as likely to develop depression as those who rarely or never feel lonely.
Another study, which followed 500,000 middle-aged adults over nine years, found that living alone doubled the risk of death from suicide in men, while loneliness increased the likelihood of being hospitalized for self-harm in both men and women. women.
And after the release?
When a person comes out of long-term isolation, he faces many problems when returning to society.
The world will change. We still have a lot to catch up with, from technological advances to changes in social norms.
In addition to these more general changes, we must focus on restoring good physical and mental health. Health problems developed during isolation may persist or worsen. A weakened immune system may have difficulty dealing with new infections in a post-Covid world.
To overcome this transition, it is important to establish a daily routine that includes regular exercise, nutritious nutrition and full medical and psychological support.
Gradually increasing social interactions can also help restore relationships and connections with others. These steps help restore overall health and well-being in a changed world.