'Humans are a social species' - Mental health charity tells people to go outside

A national mental health charity is encouraging people to stop isolating and start socialising again. 

Turn2Me's call echoes that of the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Breda Smyth, who tweeted a Healthy Ireland campaign on Wednesday (March 1), stating, "Loneliness has a negative impact on physical and mental health so social connections are very important. The Healthy Ireland #HelloAgainWorld campaign encourages older people to re-connect with others." 

The Turn2Me charity said the "pandemic hangover" has led to high levels of loneliness across the country. 

CEO Fiona O'Malley said, "Humans are a social species, we are tribal in nature. Our levels of social engagements were rapidly reduced during the lockdown. 

"Low levels of socialising over a long period can have a detrimental impact on our mental health. Many people might find it difficult socialising again after such a long period in isolation, which is why we have published three tips on how to handle this on our website.” 

One of the tips is to reach out to friends or family sooner rather than later; the charity said the longer people put off socialising, the more difficult it can become. 

The second tip is to arrange at least one social engagement a week, because having regular social interactions will get you back into the habit of socialising. 

The third tip is to arrange to meet people who put you in a good mood, so that the social engagement is something you’ll look forward to. 

Turn2Me stated that it’s totally normal to have a bit of social anxiety when coming out of isolation.

The charity - funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) - runs free weekly support groups on anxiety, which are available on its website Turn2Me.ie 

Founded in 2009 stemming from the very personal experiences of Oisin and Diarmuid Scollard, who sadly lost their brother, Cormac, to suicide in 2003, Turn2Me has helped over 120,000 people since it was set up in 2009. 

The public is encouraged to avail of its free, professional mental health services available on its website, Turn2Me.ie