By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief
Contact. It seems so simple, yet it’s so critical to our daily lives.
Even introverts and people with agoraphobia still need contact whether in-person, over the phone, or on a Zoom call.
Those of us living with brain injury have long been experts at self-isolation; however, it’s always been on our terms. We have been able to choose when and where we go out in public. At the beginning of the pandemic, we didn’t have a choice — we were told to stay home.
Now that we are almost an entire year into the chaos of a historic pandemic, many of us are craving contact — particularly in-person, face-to-face contact. But it’s hard: we still have to be safe and respect the safety of others who are immunocompromised (including me as I help care for my mom, who is going through chemo).
Contact. It’s something we’ve always taken for granted. When we needed it, we could seek out others to fill that void.
We’ve had to get creative. I’ve done more Zoom calls this past year than I did in the previous five years. But you know what? I’ve had some of the most meaningful conversations and built new friendships.
The silver lining of the pandemic is that it has allowed us to slow down a notch, to self-reflect and figure out what (and who) is really important to us. We’ve been given the chance to filter out what is no longer serving us, and really focus on that circle of people who “get” us and are there for us.
Moral of the story: When life throws you a curveball, it may sting a bit at first. But we are human and we have incredible coping and adapting capabilities. It’s only natural to crave human contact and interaction with others. If you feel isolation, anxiety, or panic setting in, reach out to a loved one or schedule a Zoom meetup with some friends.
Or better yet — join me and hundreds of other survivors for a Zoom virtual brain injury awareness day on March 16th. www.facesoftbi.com/event
