“It has been two years since I have received a hug. I never considered myself a hugger, but COVID has taught me otherwise,” expressed Imran. “Not having seen my family in so long, has made me realise how much love and affection was conveyed through each hug. I am no longer going to be irritated with those elongated hugs - in fact, I am going to welcome each one.”
It is scientifically evident that hugs release oxytocin that create feelings of calm and relaxation. Hugs are the protagonists of our lives, as they release stress levels, make us happy and loved and deepen our relationships.
Currently, many people are fearing of COVID and so refrain from excessively touching or even being close to people. Makes perfect sense! They are wise to do so. But how is this void of physical affection affecting people? Several people have started to feel “out of touch” with their emotions, where they could express themselves physically and warmly, are now being forced to use their words and gestures. Some may argue that being able to express our emotions and feelings through words is healthy and enables us to expand our daily vocabulary. However, with the COVID ‘season’ still hovering over, around and under us, it has guided us to find other forms of expression. We can communicate our affections via words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. Well, maybe not the last one, at the moment.
But is this really how we want to express ourselves? Thumbs up...thumbs down. Our lives are becoming one with our devices, gesturing like minute emojis. To make matters worse, we have been stewarded into a new phase of technological dependence, where you need to charge your phones before yourself. This transition into living in the virtual world has distanced us from what affection feels like, what a warm embrace feels like, what an approving pat on the back feels like. But we need to remember that whilst we are relying on technology, we are not robots without emotions. We have emotions that need to be protected and nurtured, even if electronically.
We live in a time where there is a growing need to understand the impact on mental health, not just teenagers, or young adults, but even more so elderly people. They have been separated from their families and children for so many months, with deteriorating health, locked away - in fear of catching COVID due to their compromised immune system. They need warmth. They need compassion. They need love.
It may be cold outside, but all the more reason for us to be warmer on the inside; give love, receive love, and when restrictions ease – give someone a hug...please.
