Covid crisis has left men fearing for friendships
Worried the pandemic’s damaged your friendships? A third (38%) of UK men fear they’ve lost friendships over the past year that they’ll never get back, according to figures from men’s health charity Movember (uk. movember.com) released this month.
“Having strong social connections has a major influence on our long-term health and wellbeing. Spending time with your mates and having people to rely on in a crisis is good for everyone,” says Movember CEO, Michelle Terry.
The charity surveyed 3,000 men. In addition, 42% said they felt more distant from friends compared with before the pandemic, and 36% said they felt lonely more often. Over half (58%) agreed they’d been experiencing poor wellbeing, with 29% meeting the WHO criteria for depression.
Feeling disconnected from friends can really get us down, so what next? Here’s seven things to keep in mind right now...
■
GO EASY ON YOURSELF – AND EACH OTHER
Had to drop some friendship balls this past year? Zoom fatigue was real! And not everyone feels good being glued to WhatsApp.
Not to mention the fact we’ve been dealing with epic challenges plus lockdown restrictions.
Go easy.
■ DO THINGS THAT GIVE YOU A BOOST Has feeling disconnected dented your confidence? Giving yourself a boost is a helpful place to start. Exercise, music, fresh air, and a good laugh.
■
Waiting for those invitations to roll in? Could you make the first move and reach out?
■
End-of-lockdown overwhelm is creeping in for lots of us. Yep, we can’t wait to get to the pub. But at the same time... it’s all a bit much!
Be prepared to start small, maybe a couple of hours, and ask your mates how they’re feeling about it.
REACH OUT START SMALL ■ BE FLEXIBLE
By the same token, remember it doesn’t have to be a pub or restaurant right away or every time. Game of tennis? Bike ride? Coffee and a wander?
■ BE PATIENT
Really missing the bestie you’ve not seen for ages? Us too. But we’re probably all going to need to be a bit patient. People may not have seen their family all year.
They may be taking things slow to protect their own wellbeing. When it does happen, that hug is going to feel so good.
■ BE OPEN TO NEW CONNECTIONS TOO Being grateful for cherished old friends doesn’t mean we can’t still be open to new connections too. In fact, this could be a really healthy thing.
Any local groups you could join? Could an app, like MeetUp or Bumble BFF, be something to explore? Maybe that neighbour you became pally with during lockdown one would appreciate an invitation for a pint?