When the protection of Physical Health harms Mental Health


This weekend I decided to go out for a run to think through some things I've been struggling with. Outdoor exercise has always been a good release of stress, and a way to get some Vitamin D and increase my dopamine and serotonin (our natural anti-depressants). As I ran for 24 hours I saw some kids at a local skate park doing jumps and flying through the air. Later on in my run, I saw two police cruisers parked next to the skate park. Then, I noticed that there weren't any people skateboarding. The next day, I was running past the skate park and I saw a Parks & Rec worker taping off the skate park with Yellow Tape, like it was a crime scene.

I have heard a lot of people use the terms "self-quarantine", "self-isolate", and "social distancing". I think we are making a big mistake, if we take these words at their literal meaning. We are relational creatures, and we are supposed to interact with one another.

We can be safe and still be social

We can be safe if we: 1. wash your hands constantly, 2. use sanitizer when we touch things, 3. don't cough on each other, and 4. stay 3-6 feet away from each other. And, if you want to be extra-safe wear a mask so you're reminded to not touch your face. With these precautions, doctors and medical personnel have said you are virtually guaranteed to not catch the virus.

Why then do we need to force ourselves to stay in our homes? Why do we need to stop connecting with friends, family and neighbors? People have a tendency to start something strong, and fade as the task gets longer in duration - most people lack endurance. This is what is currently happening. In the beginning, the media created a mass anxiety and hysteria that if you got a virus, you were risking death (of yourself or another). So people were told to isolate themselves so a contagion would not spread. People holed up in their homes and hoarded toilet paper and canned goods, as if the end of the world was near. This was to protect physical health, but it did not take mental health into account.

After a few weeks of isolating, I am seeing friends, family and neighbors coming out of their homes and "gathering" - not in large groups, but definitely in groups. Have these people suddenly become "rebellious rule breakers"?

The restrictions that have been enacted to protect physical health have not taken mental health into account. The two are inextricably intertwined. The people who successfully physically isolated themselves for weeks, and are now "breaking the rules" and having gatherings are starting to suffer from mental health issues. Their physical health is good, but their mental health is worsening because of a lack of human contact with their loved ones, and mass anxiety.

So what does this have to do with closing the skate park?

We need to rethink our approach to our current situation. Can't we protect and nurture our Physical Health AND protect and nurture our Mental Health at the same time?

Be safe. Wash your hands. If you are sick, stay in and get better. I think these are the same things I was taught as a child. What has changed?


P.S.  There is really GOOD NEWS with the world's response to this dangerous virus. We learned 2 things:

1. All countries can work together for a common cause

&

2. We can do it immediately

Now, let's use this information and behavior to stop World Hunger, Global Warming and Poverty.

Jason is an expert at teaching people to transform Dreams into Reality. He has amassed a lifetime of expertise in the field as a General Manager for General Electric leading large teams, where he ran a $400 million dollar business, he was a former leader of Global Operations for a Fortune 100 company, an attorney and CEO of a non-profit that helps children with Autism. In addition to his professional experience, he is a US Paralympian, holds 15 world records in ultra-running and mountain biking, is an author, a highly sought after motivational and business speaker and is the 1st and only blind person to run across America - 3,063 miles where he averaged 51.5 miles/day for 59.5 days. For speaking and media inquiries visit www.jasonromero.net 

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