1679525900 Research shows Brazilians feel lonelier since pandemic Multiverso Noticias

Research shows Brazilians feel lonelier since pandemic Multiverso Notícias

A Pandemic had several effects on society. The economy, ways of working and even relationships were affected. That’s according to market research firm Ipsos’ Perceptions of the Impact of Covid19 survey, which indicated that half of Brazilians felt lonely during the pandemic.

During the survey, 52% of respondents also indicated that feelings of loneliness had increased in the six months leading up to the survey.

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Leading in the world rankings

The number of Brazilians who reported this feeling ranked Brazil first among the countries feeling the most lonely. This is followed by Turkey with 43% and India in third place with also 43%.

Although the socalled “loneliness epidemic” appeared to be a natural consequence of the necessary isolation in the pandemic, it was already being noticed and alarmed several years before the arrival of Covid.

The concern has become so alarming that many countries have taken steps to help people affected.

“Ministry of Solitude”

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One of the countries that came out on top was the UK. In 2018, then Prime Minister Theresa May declared that widespread feelings of loneliness were “a sad reality of modern life”, creating the “Ministry of Loneliness”.

Responsibility for the new portfolio rested with Tracey Crouch, who was already Minister for Sport and Civil Society. Despite the short duration of one year, the service had important achievements.

One of these was a survey of the population, which indicated that 9 million residents felt alone all the time or very often. In addition, older people pointed out the lack of contact with friends or family.

This and other surveys show that the feeling does not only affect Brazilians, but people of different nationalities.

What would be the reason?

For the researchers, social changes led to greater isolation between individuals. In addition to new habits, the abuse of social networks can also promote this feeling.

In 2017, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a survey that found that among 2,000 American adults ages 19 to 32, using networks for more than two hours a day doubled the likelihood of isolation and feelings of exclusion.

But in order to fight this problem, it is necessary that each individual tries to deal with his problems and also to improve his relationship with the other, as psychoanalyst Lucas Liedke points out in an interview with Galileu magazine.

“We combat this malaise by trying to be better at taking care of ourselves. It’s necessary to face those moments without the shame of not performing socially.”

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In addition, nurturing relationships is important as social interaction is necessary for people’s wellbeing.

“The discourse of independence, of ego empowerment, which has been strong in our culture for nearly two decades, is problematic because we are social beings and there is no way out. It is part of our constitution,” emphasizes the psychoanalyst.