Invest in relationships – stay out of virtual world as much as possible

Recently, a 20-year-old student, Nitin, came to Dr. Malhotra. He was feeling lonely and homesick and had symptoms of depression and anxiety. Being on the social media did not help but actually aggravated his condition.

“He was not eating properly and had lost five kg weight in a span of a month. Complaining of frequent crying spells, anxiety episodes, disturbed sleep and decreased concentration, he had started questioning the very purpose of life,” Dr. Malhotra recalled.

He was assessed in detail and the family was involved in the treatment process. Bonding with the family – alongside medication support – helped him get out of the state of loneliness within a month.

According to Dr. Malhotra, limit your time with smartphones and other gadgets as the vibes shared via direct personal communication have their own merit.

Transitionally, being on Facebook may make a difference to your wellbeing.

“But the virtual world is also a replica of the world around us. As a result, people at times feel more distressed in the virtual world as they are less in tune with the reality. Thus, we run the same risk of getting hurt or distressed in the virtual world as in the real life,” Dr. Govil emphasised.

Loneliness takes a toll on your physical health as well where you tend to survive on unhealthy diets. Stress can culminate in the form of binge eating which is dangerous as you tend to eat unhealthy food. It can also lead to a condition of hypertension and lethargy.

People who live alone have a lower diversity of food intake and consumption of core food groups like fruits, vegetables and fish.

For example, a lack of motivation and enjoyment in cooking and/or eating alone often leads to people preparing simple or ready-made meals lacking key nutrients.

The remedy is simple: invest in relationships and stay out of the virtual world as much as possible.