Sheltering in a place has been one of the most popular topics during these last few months. We have seen bits of advice and tons of activity ideas on how to stay sane when stuck at home. No matter what is your personal experience, all of us need a place to hide from the uncertainty. Now, more than ever, we don’t know what the future holds for us. So, a big question is: where do you hide when you cannot leave your home and hit the road?
Netflix
A recent study of the entertainment business showed that nowadays, it is harder to start watching something new or go through your curated must-see list.
…or HBO, Amazon Prime, Hulu – pick yours. Those who didn’t increase their TV watching time during the pandemic can hear my applause. For the others, binge-watching Friends for the millionth time is comforting. You cannot wrap your head around, why would you still be interested in seeing, what is happening in the Central Perk coffee shop? Simply, it is because you know that you liked the show before and know how everything will end, unlike the current situation. A recent study of the entertainment business showed that nowadays, it is harder to start watching something new or go through your curated must-see list. Don’t be hard on yourself if you are hitting “watch the next episode” button. It is soothing to watch the same drama of others over and over again than facing your own.
Video Games
Even before the Coronavirus outbreak, the gaming industry was strong and ambitious to create a reality you wouldn’t want to escape. In normal circumstances, excessive gaming is perceived as a widely anti-social activity that can soak you in for hours and threaten your social skills. Strangely in current reality, it can help you to feel more connected with others. As the impact of Coronavirus spreads, we are feeling how social distancing affects our mental health. Video games now could be the best place to hide and meet your friends virtually. Many online games have in-game chat where you talk with others, or you can choose a game where multiple players have to achieve a common goal. So, gaming now is not only a good and fun distraction but also a place to maintain relationships. If you have been trying to justify your addiction to gaming before, you can relax and enjoy the benefits of the alternative reality. Yet, nothing changes – once a gamer, always a gamer.
As the impact of Coronavirus spreads, we are feeling how social distancing affects our mental health.
Books
I don’t know how about you, but the first weeks of isolation made me stock books rather than toilet paper. Books have the reputation of being a safe haven not only during the pandemic times but literally for all difficult times. During the first weeks in the UK, fiction sales rose by a third, while children’s education books saw a surge of 234%. Parents worried about homeschooling and wanted to escape reality at the same time. As isolation continues, bookstores are facing a drop in sales as people are encouraged to buy only essential goods. It could sound insensitive, but the term “essential” could mean different things for people who are trying to cope and stay themselves while being at home. If you lack space, e-books offer similar get-out-of-the-room-without-leaving-it experience.
Online courses
Be frank, how many online courses have you enrolled in? Coursera is not hot news, but it seems that currently many of us find the joy of learning something new. Another explanation is that we simply cannot cope with spending time inside and have to justify the time passing by doing even more than we used to before. We are keeping ourselves busy and trying to make up for the lost time by becoming better. Please don’t brag to others how you started learning a new language – it’s great, keep doing it for yourself. Bear in mind that it can work for you as a stress-relieving activity, while others can feel highly unproductive during this time.
Another explanation is that we simply cannot cope with spending time inside and have to justify the time passing by doing even more than we used to before.
Pornhub
When Pornhub introduced free premium membership for Italy, later on following more countries that are highly affected by the pandemic, the daily traffic to the site increased dramatically – 26,4% higher in mid-March. It’s not only simply because people like free stuff. Pleasure and boredom are usually the reasons why people find themselves spending time in the pornographic sites. Others suggest that the usage of pornography rises when people are battling stress, anxiety, or negative emotions. Your need to increase serotonin levels in the brain and fight the emptiness might encourage you to consume more porn, especially if you are all alone – that’s no shame at all.
We are experiencing major changes in our lives, thus our behavior changes as well. If you think that nothing has changed, you are probably not paying enough attention to yourself or doing a great job hiding in one of the places mentioned above. It quickly gets very comfortable on the couch with a book or remote controller. Don’t be too busy to schedule a call with your real friends and family. They will appreciate a distraction from their hiding place.
