Health News

The Little-Known Link Between Mitochondria and Anxiety

Mental health issues are some of the least-understood medical conditions. Unlike many physical health issues that present with a clear path for treatment, individuals who suffer from mental health concerns are often not able to find ways to alleviate their symptoms. One promising field of research based on the newly discovered link between mitochondria and anxiety examines how the functioning of the body’s mitochondria may affect a variety of mental health concerns.

What Are Mitochondria and Why Are They Important

Accounting for approximately 20 percent of an individual’s body weight, mitochondria are present in every cell except for red blood cells. As a cell’s source of power, mitochondria play a critical part in the overall function of the body and mind. Because they deliver power, cells that require energy house more mitochondria.

Poor mitochondrial function can lead to a host of physical and mental health issues. Understanding the connection between the health of the mitochondria and your overall health can help you to take steps to protect these cellular powerhouses. While most people develop problems with mitochondria as they age, there is a small percentage of people who are born with mitochondrial DNA health issues.

Understanding the Relationship Between Mitochondria and Anxiety

Scientists and doctors have established a connection between the health of a body’s mitochondria and mental health. Because of this connection, targeting mitochondrial function may be helpful in treating stress-related disorders and other mental health issues. It is important to note that there is not one single way to treat mental health disorders. Using a multi-faceted approach that includes examining the effect of mitochondrial function will yield the best results.

While mitochondria problems may be the culprit behind a variety of mental health issues such as depression and mood disorders, they are also often the driving force of anxiety. A diagnosis of excessive anxiety covers a wide array of conditions that present as irrational worry, fear and panic. In the U.S., it is estimated that over 18 percent of the population have an anxiety disorder.

Both animal and human studies have identified a link between mitochondrial function and the development of anxiety. Animal studies have specifically demonstrated that mitochondria therapy may be instrumental in protecting the mitochondria and reducing anxiety in mice.

Individuals who suffer from high anxiety often present with issues of energy metabolism and oxidative stress alterations. What scientists do definitively know is that this is a bidirectional link. This means that oxidative stress alterations and energy metabolism are observed with individuals with high anxiety. Likewise, changes in the function of the mitochondria may also be a cause of the heightened levels of anxiety. Because of this bidirectional link, many physicians believe that the pharmacological manipulation of mitochondria may be a successful treatment to help those that suffer from excessive anxiety.

How to Test Mitochondrial Function

Despite modern advances in medicine, there is no set way to test mitochondrial function. Part of the problem is that these types of disorders are often masked by other non-specific symptoms of additional health issues. Many physicians discover the mitochondrial issue by checking iron levels, insulin function, various hormonal production and more. For the most definitive diagnosis, healthcare providers look to muscle biopsies for guidance. An adrenal stress test can also provide clues about the function of the mitochondria.

One of the reasons why this issue is challenging to diagnose is because there are so many problems that affect mitochondria function. Precursors of this issue include hyperglycemia, inflammation, iron toxicity and excessive stress. These health problems often lead to increased levels of mitochondrial DNA damage, affecting the ability of the mitochondria to sustain energy production within the cells.

How to Protect the Cells’ Mitochondria

There are a number of steps that you can take to heal mitochondria or prevent future issues. Like most health issues, getting enough sleep, eating well, engaging in regular exercise and being diligent about reducing stressors in your life will all help to heal these damaged mitochondria.

In addition, there are products that you can take that will protect the cells’ mitochondria against oxidative damage while nourishing them at the same time. Mitochron is a natural, chronobiological formula that helps to protect the cells against burnout so that you enjoy increased energy levels.

While there is still more to understand about the function of mitochondria, it is clear that these pockets of cellular power may hold a key in helping physicians to treat a wide array of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. As more becomes known about the function of mitochondria, the medical profession is hopeful that this knowledge can be harnessed to deliver effective results to those who struggle with mental health issues.

New Research Suggests Exercise Protects Against Prostate Cancer

Jun 10 by Ewcopywriting

The prostate, located between the penis and the bladder, is an essential part of the male reproductive system as it creates a fluid that’s used to carry sperm and keep it in a liquid state. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for men to develop prostate cancer, and while men of any age can develop this condition, it’s more likely to affect older men. A new study finds that exercise protects against prostate cancer, adding to the natural ways that men can reduce their risks for this type of cancer.

What is Prostate Cancer?

Overall, prostate cancer is a widespread problem: As the American Cancer Society reports, there were 174,650 new cases in 2019. A total of 31,620 deaths were also attributed to prostate cancer last year. While advanced prostate cancer can be fatal, getting an early diagnosis will improve the effectiveness of treatment. When diagnosed early enough, standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are effective in eradicating this type of cancer.

Causes and Risk Factors

About half of men develop prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) cells as they age. These are precancerous cells that increase the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. PIN cells are usually not cancerous as they start out, but may become cancerous over time. Even if they do become cancerous, they may be low-grade cancer cells, which means they will not spread and grow. However, in some cases, the PIN cells do become high-grade cancer cells, which means they will multiply and spread cancer to other cells. This condition does require treatment.

While we don’t know what causes PIN cells to develop as men age, there are certain risk factors for prostate cancer. The following risk factors can affect whether or not someone will develop prostate cancer:

Age: Men over 50 are more likely to be affected.
Race: Black males are most likely to develop prostate cancer, followed by white males. Asian and Hispanic males are least likely to develop the condition.
Heredity: A family history of prostate cancer also raises the risks.
Genetics: Defective BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes may also increase your risk of contracting this type of cancer.

Symptoms of prostate cancer include:

difficulty initiating and maintaining a urine stream
unusually frequent need to urinate
bloody semen or urine
pain during urination, or during ejaculation
erectile dysfunction
experiencing pain when in a sitting position, which is the result of an enlarged prostate

Research Suggests Exercise Protects Against Prostate Cancer

While some risk factors for developing prostate cancer are known, research has focused on finding additional factors that influence who is more likely to get the disease. Some of this research has found that a deficiency of certain nutrients, such as folic acid, vitamin E and calcium, does increase the risk of prostate cancer. While ensuring you get enough of these nutrients can help, a newer study suggests physical activity also plays an important role.

A joint study conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Bristol found evidence that exercise protects against prostate cancer. The researchers examined the medical records for 79,148 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, alongside the records for 61,106 men who were cancer-free. They compared these records to the known risk factors for developing prostate cancer.

Examining the records, researchers found that those who had a genetic predisposition for being physically active had a 51 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer.

Although the study looked at a total of 22 risk factors, the researchers noted that exercise and physical activity had the biggest impact on the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. Dr. Sarah Lewis, who co-authored the study, suggested that men can reduce their risks for prostate cancer by living more physically active lifestyles.

Natural Ways to Reduce Your Risks for Prostate Cancer

In addition to getting more exercise, there are more natural ways to reduce prostate cancer risks. Here are a few suggestions.

Eat Red Foods

Tomatoes, watermelon and other fruits with a red pulp contain a compound called lycopene. This is a powerful antioxidant that may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer for men. While research is ongoing, it’s believed that redder tomatoes contain more potent concentrations of lycopene.

Add More Plant-Based Foods

While eating more red foods may boost your resistance to prostate cancer, all plant-based foods can help. By eating a broad range of fruits and vegetables, you’ll be giving your body an ample supply of nutrients to boost your immune system and fight off all types of cancer.

Take a Dietary Supplement

Adding a supplement to your daily routine can also help you maintain the nutrients your body needs to guard against prostate cancer. Prostachron is specifically formulated with vitamins and other nutrients that help support a healthy immune system and guard against the development of prostate cancer.

Lose Weight

Limiting your calorie intake and getting more physical activity will help you get your weight under control. Obesity weakens your immune system and promotes the conditions that encourage the growth of cancer cells, so getting your weight under control can have a significant impact on prostate health.

Increase Your Coffee Consumption

Some research indicates that drinking three to four cups of coffee each day can decrease your risk of developing prostate cancer. The 2014 study indicated that every three cups of coffee consumed decreased prostate cancer risk by 11 percent. The researchers also noted that boiling coffee, instead of brewing it, also had an impact on the study’s results.

Are Stress and Autoimmune Disease Linked by Gut Bacteria?

Jun 04 by Ewcopywriting

Each of us has a community of microorganisms that thrive in an area of our large intestines known as the gut microbiome. This part of the gut serves as a home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes that interact with the rest of the body. While some bacteria are harmful and contributes to the development of disease and infection, other types of bacteria are actually beneficial. New research finds gut bacteria play a role in the relationship between stress and autoimmune disease, suggesting a healthier lifestyle may reduce risks.

The Gut Microbiome Plays an Important Role in Overall Health

In a normal, healthy gut microbiome, there up to 1,000 different types of bacteria. This is important, because each strain serves a different function, affecting health in a unique way. For instance, Bifidobacteria is a type of bacteria that helps infants digest the sugars that are present in breast milk. Similarly, other types of bacteria help the body digest fiber more efficiently. Once digested the compounds in fiber help the body protect against heart disease, cancer and obesity.

Research in recent years has found that the beneficial bacteria in the gut can strengthen the immune system and reduce the risks of a variety of medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. Since the gut microbiome serves so many functions, it’s now considered to be an extra organ in the body, and continuing research is finding that it benefits health in more ways than previously known.

Stress and Autoimmune Disease Linked to Gut Microbiome

While there are several illnesses that can be categorized as autoimmune diseases, all of these develop as the result of a similar process. Essentially, the immune system erroneously identifies a group of cells, an organ or some other tissue in the body as a harmful bacteria or virus. This causes the immune system to turn on the body and attack healthy tissue. Some examples of these types of illnesses include rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and lupus.

A study conducted at Israel’s Bar Ilan University found that there was a link between stress and autoimmune disease, which may involve microbial activity in the gut. Working with mice, they found that social stress caused an increase in the production of effector T helper cells. These cells are responsible for the immune system’s response to threats, indicating that stress may play a role in instigating autoimmune diseases.

The researchers also found an increase of two specific types of bacteria in the gut microbiomes of the mice. These bacteria, Bilophila and Dehalobacterium, are also found in higher amounts in the gut microbiomes of people with multiple sclerosis. The increase of these types of bacteria may have something to do with the alterations of genes in the gut which occur as a result of stress. The changes to the genes in the gut help bacteria travel to other parts of the body, thrive and grow, and relay signals to various organs in the body.

As a result of the genetic changes, the bacteria travel to the lymph nodes, where they can manipulate immune responses. Essentially, stress promotes changes to the genes in the gut, which, in turn, results in changes to the how the lymph nodes manage immune responses.

This increases the risk that an individual suffering from excess stress will ultimately develop autoimmune diseases. The opposite may also be true, suggesting that managing stress can help you keep your risk of autoimmune disorders low.

Tips for Managing Stress

Exercise

Physical activity is essential to your physical health, but it also has positive effects on your mind and emotions. By working out for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, you’ll experience a release of endorphins that will boost your mood and reduce stress hormones.

Reduce Substance Use

You may think that alcohol and drugs are making you feel better, but they’re actually exacerbating the problem. Once that euphoric feeling wears off, stressful feelings will return. This will prompt you to take more drugs or drink more alcohol. In addition to running the risk of developing an addiction, this cycle will cause you to feel more stressed over time.

Eat a Healthy Diet

The foods you eat will also impact your emotional health. Natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, contain essential nutrients and vitamins that help your body and brain function. When your diet consists primarily of processed foods, you’re depriving your body of these nutrients. As a result, your brain won’t function as efficiently as it should, which can result in a more concentrated release of stress hormones.

Manage Time More Efficiently

For many people, stress is increased by a lack of time to get everything accomplished. Even though you may have a lot on your plate, you can get through each day more easily by planning ahead. Just before bedtime each night, make a list of everything you need to get done on the following day and assign a block of time for each task. This will help to ensure you get everything done without feeling overly burdened.

Relax

Each day, you should set aside some time to do something that relaxes you. Whether that’s meditating and practicing yoga, reading a good book or listening to your favorite podcast, you can choose any activity you enjoy. In addition to reducing stress levels and helping you stay healthy, taking this time to unwind will also help you sleep better.

Melatonin and Metabolism: How the Sleep Hormone Supports Healthy Weight

May 29 by Ewcopywriting

Melatonin is most often thought of as the “sleep hormone,” as it is produced by the body in response to lower levels of light at the end of the day in order to promote sleep. New research finds a link between melatonin and metabolism, suggesting the sleep hormone is also essential in maintaining a healthy weight.

Research Links Melatonin and Metabolism

There is a confirmed link between melatonin and metabolism; but how does a hormone that promotes sleep also help the body burn fat? In a recent study, it was discovered that melatonin helps the body to make a special kind of fat cell that actually works to burn calories.

In the study, 16 rats were divided into two groups and each group was fed exactly the same diet. The only difference was that the first group was given water mixed with a melatonin supplement, while the rats in the second group drank regular water.

Once the trial period was over, the researchers conducted tests on all of the rats to get an accurate count of brown and white fat (adipose) cells. These two types of cells are of particular interest, because brown fat cells burn fat and encourage weight loss, while white fat cells store calories and promote weight gain. The rats who drank the mixture of melatonin and water were found to have significantly more brown fat cells than the rats who weren’t given the supplement.

These findings are especially interesting in that all of the rats were fed the same diet and engaged in similar levels of physical activity. Dr. Russel Reiter, who co-authored the study, explained that the melatonin had a positive effect on the brown fat cells in the rats’ blood. He suggested that the hormone encouraged the production of more brown fat cells, while also causing white fat cells to turn brown.

These are the same brown fat cells that are produced as the result of physical activity, so there’s hope that this research may lead to new treatments for weight loss and obesity. Even though melatonin is used by the brain to promote sleep, melatonin supplements do not make people overly drowsy like sleeping pills do. This means the side effects of taking a melatonin supplement for reasons other than sleep are minimal and that it is safer than most over-the-counter medications.

Why Does Sleep Play a Role in Weight Management?

Even before researchers found a link between melatonin and metabolism, it was known that sleeping habits played a significant role in obesity and weight loss. In a previous study, it was discovered that the resting metabolic rate was lowered in men who didn’t get enough quality sleep. A group of 15 men were deprived of sleep for a 24hour period, and afterwards, had their resting metabolic rates (RMR) examined. Researchers found that their RMR were 5 percent lower than normal. Additionally, their metabolic rates after eating were 20 percent lower, causing more fat to be stored in the body.

More research has found that poor sleep results in a greater risk of weight gain and obesity. While children with insufficient sleep cycles are 89 percent more likely to become obese, adults also face a 55 percent increased risk of obesity as the result of poor sleep. This may be the result of a combination of poor melatonin production and the development of poor nutritional habits that often accompanies sleep deprivation.

One study followed the sleeping habits of 60,000 non-obese nurses over a 16-year period. Researchers found that the nurses who got fewer than seven hours of sleep per night, averaging at 5.5 hours nightly, were 15 percent more likely to become obese within the 16-year period.

The problem is compounded by the fact that spending more time awake leads to frequent snacking and overeating. This is especially true of people who work unusual hours, such as graveyard shifts, because they tend to eat irregularly and exercise less. This adds to the problem of weight gain, which is further aggravated by a lack of sufficient sleep.

How You Can Maintain a Healthy Circadian Rhythm

Your body produces melatonin naturally, but the release of a sufficient amount of the hormone relies on maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm, or biological clock. The circadian rhythm regulates sleep and wakefulness by releasing hormones, such as melatonin, and the circadian rhythm itself is regulated by exposure to daylight and the darkness of night. These tips can help you use the changing of day into night to better regulate your own circadian rhythm.

Turn Off Electronic Devices

Your circadian rhythm uses the rising and setting of the sun to determine the best time for releasing melatonin, but it can be tricked by artificial light. This is why it’s a good idea to turn off electronic devices and dim lights at least one hour before bed. This gives your brain time to adjust and wind down for the night.

Get More Light During the Day

It’s just as important to expose yourself to natural sunlight as much as possible during the morning and early afternoon hours. If you’re not getting this sunlight exposure, your circadian rhythm can be thrown off balance and may not produce adequate amounts of melatonin at bedtime. At the very least, try to work next to an open window that’s facing the sun in the morning or afternoon.

Exercise Every Day

Getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-high intensity exercise each day will also help your body maintain a reliable circadian rhythm. If possible, you should exercise outdoors, or in a fitness center with plenty of windows. This will allow you to maximize your sunlight exposure, while also helping you promote better weight loss and muscle growth. This will all help your brain produce more sufficient levels of melatonin in the evening.

Eat Melatonin-Rich Foods

There are also a number of natural foods that contain melatonin, so eating a more varied diet that includes some of theses foods can help. Some examples include walnuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, tomatoes, cherries and fennel. A couple of spices that are also excellent sources of the hormone are coriander and cardamom. Since melatonin promotes a healthier metabolism, adding these foods to your diet can help you lose weight and sleep better. If you are finding it hard to eat enough melatonin-rich foods, you can take a high-quality melatonin supplement to help you fall asleep more quickly and enjoy a more restful sleep.

Prebiotics Promote Sleep, Soothe Stress and More

May 26 by Ewcopywriting

Recent research has found that prebiotics promote sleep, suggesting that adding these natural compounds to your diet can help you to get a better night’s sleep.

What Are Prebiotics?

One of the systems that regulates your overall health is the gut microbiome, which is located in your large intestines and serves as a home to trillions of microbes. While some bacteria can be harmful, the microorganisms in your gut microbiome are helpful, assisting your body by regulating digestion, immune system functioning and dozens of other processes throughout the body. While this system functions on its own, you can help it to work optimally by ensuring it has a broad and diverse community of microbes.

This is where prebiotics come into the picture. The microorganisms in your gut microbiome need nourishment to survive, so it’s up to you to eat the right foods that provide this sustenance. The types of foods that feed your gut microbiome contain prebiotics, which help the bacteria in your gut thrive and grow.

Prebiotics are found in the fiber of plant-based foods, which is just one reason eating fruits and vegetables is important to your health. This type of fiber isn’t digested easily, which means it can be passed through your digestive system and into your gut. Once the fiber makes it to your large intestine, the bacteria in the gut microbiome feed on it to get essential nourishment.

It’s more common to hear about probiotics in the media, but probiotics are not the same as prebiotics. While prebiotics help the bacteria in your gut to grow, probiotics introduce new microorganisms into your gut microbiome. This is also important to the health of your gut, but it should be understood that probiotics perform a different function. Additionally, recent research has found that prebiotics may perform other roles in maintaining health.

How Do Prebiotics Promote Sleep?

In order to understand how prebiotics promote sleep and reduce stress, it’s important to understand the connection between the gut microbiome and the brain. These two areas of the body interact in three known ways by affecting how cells in other parts of the body are regulated. For instance, both the brain and the bacteria in the gut affect the immune system’s cells, and this allows these two systems to interact with one another as well.

The brain and gut also share an endocrine system pathway, where they can exchange hormones. This helps hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and cortisol, cross the blood-brain barrier. Finally, the vagus nerve acts as a superhighway that provides direct access between the brain and the gut. This enables the gut to directly influence brain activities, including regulating the release of neurotransmitters that affect sleep patterns.

A study conducted at the University of Colorado in Boulder focused on the link between prebiotics and sleep. The researchers used two groups of male rats, feeding the first group a diet heavy in prebiotic foods. The second group was deprived of prebiotics, but fed a regular diet. During the five-week study, all of the rats were exposed to stimuli intended to produce high stress levels. The researchers found that the rats receiving the prebiotic diet experienced lower stress levels and slept more deeply. They confirmed that the prebiotic-fed rats spent more time in REM sleep, which is vital to mental health.

The researchers found that these benefits were the result of changes to metabolites in the gut, which are a specific type of microbial life. By altering the development of metabolites, prebiotics help them to influence the brain’s response to stress. This process also helps promote more frequent REM sleep.

Ways to Add More Prebiotics to Your Diet

Essentially, prebiotics work together with probiotics to ensure your gut microbiome is as diverse as possible. If you think you may not be getting enough prebiotics and probiotics in your diet, taking a high-quality supplement that’s engineered to provide both prebiotics and probiotics can help. Adding the following foods to your diet will also help keep your gut healthy and the microbiome diverse.

Garlic

The sweet flavor of garlic is the result of a prebiotic called fructooligosaccharides (FOS). About 6 percent of each garlic clove’s fiber is comprised of FOS. Garlic also has antioxidant properties, helping to fight against cancer and other degenerative conditions.

Onions

Garlic and onions belong to the same family, and they contain the same measure of FOS. The prebiotics in onions are also helpful in breaking down fat in the gut, so they may assist with weight loss. Onions help the body produce more nitric oxide, which aids in strengthening the immune system.

Asparagus

As a great source of fiber, asparagus is also an excellent source of prebiotics. Additionally, asparagus has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it a helpful food in protecting cellular health and improving heart health.

Bananas

Providing a high content of starch as well as fiber, bananas are a great source of prebiotics. In addition to helping you maintain a healthy gut microbiome, bananas have been shown to be helpful in lowering abdominal bloating.

Oats

Adding more oats to your diet will help you boost the prebiotics in your gut as a result of the large beta-glucan fiber content in each serving. In addition to helping you maintain a thriving gut microbiome, oats will help you lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol, and help to regulate your blood sugar levels.

Apples

Finally, apples are another excellent source of prebiotics. In this case, the pectin in apples, which makes up more than half of the fruit’s fiber, provide the gut with a substantial supply of prebiotics. The polyphenol antioxidants in apples also help protect against cancer, and help to reduce LDL cholesterol.

How Social Isolation Affects Mental Health

May 21 by Ewcopywriting

It’s far too common for most people to overlook, or minimize, the importance of mental health, unless they have been diagnosed with a specific emotional disorder. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become evident that social isolation affects mental health; this makes it even more important to find new ways to connect with others to maintain mental and emotional clarity.

The Importance of Maintaining Optimum Mental Health

Beginning in 1949, May has been recognized as Mental Health Month as a means of bringing attention to the importance of caring for one’s psychological and emotional well-being. In addition to sharing information about mental health throughout the month of May, the healthcare professionals and organizations who offer mental health services also offer increased access to screenings and events as a means of raising awareness.

Dedicating the month of May to raising awareness about mental health is important, because so many people suffer from some type of mental illness. It’s estimated that one out of every five people will be affected by mental illness at some point in their lifetimes.

In many cases, an individual will suffer mental illness to a mild degree and can use coping strategies at home to help them minimize the symptoms of the condition without the use of prescription medication. However, now that we’re faced with the mental health consequences of a long-term quarantine that has been made necessary by the spread of COVID-19, it has become more important than ever to recognize the mental health risks associated with isolation.

A Deeper Look at How Social Isolation Affects Mental Health

The loneliness that isolation causes increases the risk of developing a few specific mental health conditions, according to the World Health Organization. This is largely because the social interactions we have with others stimulates activity in the brain, reinforcing healthy cognitive functioning.

The brain is like any other muscle in the body in that it will only stay strong and useful with regular exercise. The opposite is also true, indicating that self-isolation will result in a raised risk of developing any of a long list of mental illnesses.

Some conditions that can result from prolonged isolation include:

depression
anxiety
dementia
schizophrenia
Alzheimer’s disease
suicide attempts, or suicidal thoughts

While anyone is at risk of feeling loneliness as a result of isolation, this experience is usually more devastating for older adults. This is because seniors have already experienced losses in their lives, such as the death of a spouse, adult children moving out to start their own lives and retiring from a job that may have served to give their lives more meaning.

Each one of these circumstances can have a deep emotional impact, but, by socializing with friends and other loved ones, these feelings are offset by other types of companionship. Unfortunately, isolation affects mental health as a result of shelter-in-place orders, because seniors who live alone no longer have access to healthy social interactions.

Sheltering in Place Can Pose Risks to Mental Health

While seniors face an increased risk of suffering from loneliness and mental illness as a result of sheltering in place, this isn’t the only group facing greater risks to their mental health. People who are recently divorced, anyone living alone and single men and women all face an increased risk of developing mental health problems that can be aggravated by feelings of loneliness.

Another group that’s disproportionately affected by the loneliness that social isolation brings is those suffering from social anxiety. For people already dealing with this condition, isolation will make it even harder for them to connect with others. People with social anxiety may already have negative views of socializing and of people in general, so shutting them away from healthy social interactions will cause further harm to their emotional well-being.

In addition to losing the few social connections people with social anxiety may already have, during this time of isolation, they also lose access to coping mechanisms and treatments. For instance, therapy may be considered a non-essential service in some areas, so people suffering from social anxiety will no longer be able to attend one-on-one therapy sessions, or group counseling meetings.

Ways to Connect With Others While Social Distancing

Snail Mail

Seniors in particular may have a difficult time dealing with electronic means of social interaction. They can still keep in touch with their friends and family members by writing letters and sending them out in the mail.

Phone Calls

Another method of keeping in touch with others in your social circle is giving them a call. Phone calls allow for an easier and faster response, so the social interaction has a better flow. This may be the preferred method of communication for those without reliable internet access.

Email and Texts

Writing messages electronically allow you an opportunity to fully express yourself and to send the message instantly. Responses are also faster, so there’s a more fluid exchange of messages than with “snail mail,” either by exchanging emails or by sending text messages on your cell phone.

Social Media

Communicating via sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter also provides a means of maintaining positive social connections. In fact, these sites and others like them provide an opportunity for real-time communication in which posts, comments and responses are seen instantaneously. Additionally, the sharing of media, such as pictures and videos, on these sites helps people share funny, positive or uplifting sentiments.

If you know someone who is at a greater risk of suffering from a mental health condition as a result of isolation, a phone call can be enough to raise their spirits. While maintaining a quarantine will help them keep their risks of contracting COVID-19 low, a phone call or email will be enough to let them know they’re in your thoughts. Any social interaction may be enough to ensure your loved ones stay mentally fit throughout this difficult period.