(Jackie Dunham/ CTV News) — While the holidays are often a difficult time for people experiencing loneliness, this year may be harder than most as pandemic-related restrictions keep loved ones apart.
This increased isolation has led some experts to worry that it will cause an uptick of loneliness, anxiety, and depression in the population, particularly during the holidays and the winter months.
“Many of us are feeling lonely during this time because of physical distancing, we miss our get-togethers, we miss hugs, we miss human touch,” Dr. David Dozois, a psychology professor at Western University who helped design a survey earlier in the pandemic about rising rates of anxiety and depression, said during an interview with CTVNews.ca in October.
“Humans are the most social animals in the world.”
Loneliness can also impact an individual’s physical health, according to a new study by Canadian researchers, which found the brains of lonely people have different characteristics than people who do not experience regular loneliness. They suggest these differences may be the result of lonely people using certain parts of the brain to adapt to their situation. (…)