Covid 19 Effects

The 'Social Isolation Chart' is among the maladaptive schemas defined as early incompatibility schemas in Schema Therapy. It is defined as the isolation of one person from social life and the outside world in a narrow sense. Young, Klosko, and Weishaar state that early maladaptive schemas occur as a result of a failure to meet one's five emotional needs as a child. If these schemas are not changed, they can have a lifelong destructive effect. Schemes are cognitive structures that organize stimuli, events and concepts in a meaningful way. Schemas are essential for understanding behavior, but also for psychosocial adjustment. Early maladaptive schemas are stable, rigid cognitive structures that develop from childhood.

In schema therapy, a variety of techniques are used to modify maladaptive schemas, maladaptive coping strategies, and schema modes. Schema therapy conceptualizes personality disorders in terms of underlying schemas and modes. In forensic settings, Schema Therapy is commonly used with patients with antisocial, narcissistic or borderline personality disorders.

When someone experiences social isolation, they often feel isolated from the outside world, have a sense of not belonging, feel alone or different even with the people around them. They highlight differences rather than similarities, have an anxious attitude and feel unconfident, worthless, and lonely. Talking therapy can help people who struggle with social isolation. Loneliness is the first emotion when you are experiencing social isolation. The person may also feel different or unwanted from everyone else. This causes anxiety in interpersonal situations and may make the person feel very shy. You may constantly compare yourself with others. Having social isolation can be caused by growing up in a different family structure to the majority, having a physical or mental disability, having a different physical feature than the majority, constantly changing the living environment (like moving), being neglected by the parents, being bullied by peers or similar reasons.

As social beings, people need to feel accepted. When this need is not met, individuals experience social isolation and exhibit behaviors such as aggression, alcoholism, and substance abuse as a result. A study conducted by Droppelmann in 2020 found that people who commit crimes are more likely to commit them again if they return to their old friends and surroundings so they are not isolated socially. It is because social isolation affects the process by which a crime-free life can be left behind and crimes can be committed again. Additionally, according to the same study, women are more likely to experience social isolation than men. According to a study conducted by Payne and Morgan in Australia, in 2020, the measures implemented in response to Covid-19 increased social isolation and, therefore, domestic violence. Furthermore, these violent incidents have been repeated many times. According to the same study, the incidence of vandalism has increased as well as the number of domestic violence incidents. In a study by Usher in Australia in 2020, it was found that social isolation, as a result of Covid-19 measures, increases the incidence of domestic violence, sexual harassment, and child abuse. This increase in crime can be attributed to decreased security and support for those who commit these crimes, according to the same study. Observed in individuals who participate in therapy sessions and in other studies conducted in the past, social isolation is observed to a high degree among victims of domestic abuse. As we will explain in our next article, violence is not only physical, it can be economic, verbal, sexual or cyber.

According to Young and Klosko, if you can say a few of the following sentences, you may be experiencing social isolation.

·         I become very self-aware in social environments.

·         I feel very dull and boring at parties and other gatherings. I never know what to say.

·         I prefer to avoid most social events and participate in them.

·         The people I want to be friends with are somehow superior to me (eg appearance, popularity, wealth, status, education, career)

·         I don't find myself attractive - too fat, thin, tall, short, chubby, etc.

·         I feel fundamentally different from other people.

·         I always feel outside of groups.

·         I don't belong anywhere. I am someone who follows my own way.

·         My family was different from other families around us.

·         I feel disconnected from society.

There is a way to change the social isolation schema, and talking therapy is the most effective method. If you feel that you are struggling with social isolation, please speak to a professional.