6 Ways to Self-Soothe When Starved for Touch

“I can’t stop crying.” “I didn’t get my stimulus check and I have no idea how I’m going to pay my rent this month.” “My uncle died, and I can’t go to the funeral.” Every day, my social media feed fills with messages like these. People are anxious, immunocompromised, depressed, broke, lonely, and afraid. If ever there was a time for a hug, this is it. No one knows how long we will be asked to physically distance, but each of us will confront real and existential fears, make agonizing choices, feel powerless or unseen, and suffer heartbreaking losses in the coming months. Many of us will go through this crisis without the comfort of physical contact from our fellow humans. It could be a very long time before we touch or hug another person again. Learning to self-soothe our nervous system through comforting self-touch is a simple concept that may help us survive the uncertainty that will be ever-present in the coming months. Some of these suggestions for self-soothing through touch can be applied on the fly with little to no preparation. Others allow you to slow down your mind and love your body. (But first, wash your hands.) Here are six techniques for overcoming touch hunger amid coronavirus quarantine and isolation. 1. Right Angle Remove bracelets, rings, watches, etc. Put your right arm next to your body and turn your right palm up, fingers together. Bring your arm up until your forearm and upper arm are at a 45-degree angle. Take your left hand and touc...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Publishers Spirituality & Health Hug Isolation quarantine self-soothe touch Source Type: blogs