LIFESTYLE NEWS - Being isolated during lockdown has undoubtedly had a lasting effect on everybody, but for those of us who have been isolated alone, the last month has been somewhat nightmarish.

But first, a disclaimer: I'll admit, in no way has this lockdown been easy for anyone, be it alone or with someone by your side. Either way, it has unequivocally been horrible and a massive drain on everyone. 

This drain is however a burden best carried together and when you are able to have someone by your side day in and day out, who is able to help you bear that burden, the weight is suddenly not so bad.

So, the battle of being alone in lockdown. I briefly alluded to it in the first instalment of my weekly Lockdown Bachelor series in the form of the routine that has developed during lockdown, and how destructive it can be to even the most-devout routine lovers. The same sort of idea applies to being isolated alone in the sense of too much of a good thing is bad. It's good to spend some time alone, believe me, there are few things better than taking a breather from life and just sitting down and being open and honest with yourself away from any unwanted opinions.

However, as good and as healthy as that may be, it can also be detrimental to you. Something that even the most isolated introverts can attest to. Everybody takes for granted how invaluable some form of societal contact is to a person. Be it in the from of a quick hello smile from a stranger, or a brief, two-minute chat in the store with someone you either haven't met before or haven't seen in what feels like ages. These types of interactions help keep us grounded, they help us maintain a sense of normalcy, regardless of how much we like to isolate ourselves from society.

But the thing is, during lockdown, for those of us being locked down alone, the only form of social connection we have is via our cellphones or computers, and no matter how realistic developers try to make social media apps, it just isn't the same as real contact with humans. I, of course, cannot speak for everyone who has been locked down alone, but I can say that in my own regard it has at times felt like I have been isolated in the dark, away from anyone or anything else in the world. There have been countless times when I have yearned for being able to be locked down with my family, to be able to irritate each other and get under each other's skin.

Why? Because it's real, it's physical, it's tangible.

Last week I touched on how we should always aim to focus on the small things, the positives, and I do. But, as I also mentioned, we're all only human at the end of the day, and that's the part of me that is undoubtedly struggling and begging for tangible social connection. So, to all those who are locked down together, don't let me guilt-trip you, instead walk that fine line I mentioned between, and appreciate those around you no matter how much they've irritated you, but also spare a thought for those you know who have been going it alone, grabbing at air in the dark during lockdown.

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