Feeling Isolated and Lonely During Covid-19 Lockdown

Abstract

Isolation and loneliness have been associated with negative mood states, sleep disturbances and health problems. People experiencing pandemic lockdowns are susceptible to feelings of isolation and loneliness. In this Survey Monkey study conducted during a COVID-19 lockdown (N= 260 respondents), 81% reported feeling isolated and 68% feeling lonely. Correlation analyses suggested that feeling isolated and lonely were related to each other and were, in turn, negatively related to health practices scale scores and positively related to scores on scales measuring COVID-related stress, negative mood states including anxiety and depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Analyses of variance revealed significant differences between isolated and non-isolated groups as well as between lonely and non-lonely groups on these measures. Only a weak correlation was noted between living alone and loneliness, suggesting that feelings of isolation and loneliness extended to those living with others as well. Positive correlations between both feeling isolated and lonely and time on Facebook and gaming suggested that these activities did not compensate for their isolated and lonely feelings. Feelings of isolation and loneliness and their associated problems also increased across the lockdown survey period. The lack of touch and exercise suggested that those activities might have alleviated the negative feelings and associated problems. The results of this survey are limited by the self-reported data from a non-representative sample that is crosssectional. Nonetheless, they highlight the negative effects of isolation and loneliness during a COVID-19 lockdown