Social networking platforms have been helpful for the public to maintain contact with friends and family in order to minimize loneliness and boredom. Being able to communicate with others helps reduce the psychological effects of isolation. 

An official from the Military Health System Communications Office, Major General Steve Schaick, discusses how “Social media creates an illusion that we’re having the meaningful connections our souls long for. And during this pandemic, even introverts have discovered their inherent need for actual social interactions, and the emptiness that comes with social media alone”. He points out that social media outlets have helped people all over the world stay connected and as a matter of fact, in check mentally. 

More and more individuals are turning to social media as a replacement for unsafe in-person experiences as the pandemic continues into its eighth month and counting. Social media “allows us to maintain connections with far-flung family members, and to re-engage with people we may have lost touch with,” said Nancy Skopp, Ph.D., a psychologist with the Defense Health Agency’s Psychological Health Center of Excellence. 

Doctor Skopp goes on to mention how social media can also serve as a creative outlet, as a means of self-expression, and how it can give some people a sense of belonging and facilitate offline interactions. While we continue to be quarantined, social media is a medium to help one another stay motivated and safe at the same time.