BASIC NEEDS: When Self-Isolating

BASIC NEEDS:

When Self-Isolating

By Trevor K. McNeil

Priorities

I am self-isolating. I have to admit I am rethinking some old assumptions. Such as, what is important? What is not important? Since I was a kid, adults have told me to “sort out your priorities.” Something that is usually easier said than done. Not least because the reasons for my priorities tend to be individualized to me. What I want, and what my mother, or my neighbor, for that matter, are not the same. Certainly the individualization of priorities makes the notion of shared or “fundamental” values, as applies to the human race, something of an absurdity.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The closest thing to a ranking of needs or priorities, is Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”.  Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist, who wrote about human needs.  In 1943 he wrote, “Theory of Human Motivation”.   He admitted some of his work and writings were based on observation and some good old-fashioned guess work.  Maslow believed people are motivated to fulfill a certain set of basic needs. Maslow used a five tier pyramid to depict those needs.The base of the pyramid is physiological, the most basic of needs: air, food, water, excrement and sex.

Paradigm Shift

I don’t need to tell anyone that humanity has been thrown a curve ball. Humankind is under attack by a virus so new it literally has ‘new’, in the Latin form, in its official name: “Novo-Coronavirus.” We are in unexplored territory.  Governments and health care experts have to weigh out all the options medically and economically, to find the best possible path forward, keeping in mind our limitations. Very little is like it was and everything we knew has been turned on its head, necessitating a serious re-examination of what is a need, and what is a want, in the age of self-isolating.

Connected

Although we are physically distancing, and self-isolating, we have the ability to stay connected. One of the reasons to be cheerful, despite the fact we are living in the opening act of a very modern zombie movie, is that most nations have the communications infrastructure to allow for alternative means of connection. Even China has Facebook (censored as it might be), which makes information technologies a useful tool to continue with daily activities.

Upgrades Available

Social media and communication infrastructure are now essential due to self-isolation orders.  In our urban society, we are dependent on communication.  It now occupies a place on the list of essentials, right along with shelter and food. In fact, telecommunication is our life line, it is how we shop for food, how we see the doctor, and how we call for help when we need it.  So using some of the severely limited money we have to upgrade our devices, whether it be installing a new Operating System or expanding the number of megabytes on our phone’s data plan, is no longer a matter of mere convenience, but a necessity.

State of Mind

Self-isolating has forced us to turn even more to telecommunication and social media.

Self-isolating has forced us to turn even more to telecommunication and social media.

Intellectual engagement as a factor of well-being is often overlooked, particularly in terms of financial expenditures. It has been understood for years that infants who are not given enough human attention, including tactile contact, show lower levels of neurological functioning. Emotional deprivation can lead to death. Adults are known to react in the same way. Isolation is a major issue with the elderly and is believed to contribute to poor health and early death. We all need to keep ourselves engaged, or there will be serious consequences for our little grey cells.

Cabin Fever

This is particularly true in times like these when self-isolation orders dictate that we keep our own company. Cabin fever is a very real thing, as is the increased risk of conditions such as depression when left in isolation too long.  In prisons, solitary confinement is considered an extreme punitive measure.  The psychological result of isolation can be extremely damaging, and there are serious efforts to stop the practice all together. The phrase ‘stir crazy’ actually being quite literal.

Importance of Fun

Having fun lowers blood pressure.

Having fun  reduces depression and lowers blood pressure and improves mental focus.

While often written off as mere frivolity by ‘serious minded’ people, fun is an essential factor of the human experience. There are examples of what could best be described as balls and marbles going back to the stone age. There are also innumerable studies indicating a myriad of health and neurological benefits to doing things we enjoy. Researchers have recorded increased mental focus, improved mood, reduced depression, improved blood flow, lower blood pressure and increased endorphin production. Which is why there has long been such an onus put on leisure activities and hobbies.  Such activities promote psychological engagement and boosts morale.

Rethinking Time Spent

With social-isolation, there is a reduced opportunity to work.  In fact, social status is often based on the work you do. With so much time on our hands, it might be time to take up a hobby, or adopt a homeless pet, to improve both our lives and our attitudes. This of course assumes the ability to adhere to self-isolation orders.  Humanity seems to be naturally social, and we enjoy the camaraderie that meeting face to face provides. When people gather, they find ways to play. Most games involve at least two participants, or more. However, there are many leisure activities we can do on our own. Fishing, running, walking, cycling, and playing with a pet are things we can do alone.

Another Brick In The Pyramid

Maslow acknowledged the importance of social engagement in his hierarchy of needs, but it occupies a higher, narrower place on the pyramid, after all the basic physical needs are met. The pyramid base, the largest bloc, references physiological well-being. As physical distancing and self-isolating has become, at least temporarily our way of life, now might be the time to re-examine the place of social interaction in the lives of human beings. It may prove as basic, and as important as eating, and drinking. After the pandemic passes, a reexamination of Maslow’s pyramid may be in order.

War Response

As psychological research continues, something involving both psychological engagement and physiological requirements, I believe, will emerge as basic needs. The general idea of keeping up morale, is an old one. The psychological well-being of soldiers is something even the U.S. Army acknowledges. “Entertaining the troops” has been a major part of armed forces operating budgets as far back as World War I. USO shows are a vital part of keeping up spirits and the morale of soldiers away from home.  Separation and isolation from home and family are part of war. There are many, particularly on CNN, who characterize the struggle against COVID-19 as a ‘war.’ Maybe it’s time we start acting like it.

https://www.calamitypolitics.com/2020/03/19/opinion-hope-in-the-era-of-covid-19/

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