The term "physical distancing" is recommended rather than "social distancing" during the COVID-19 pandemic for reducing feelings of rejection among people with mental health problems

Eur Psychiatry. 2020 Jun 1;63(1):e52. doi: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.60.

Abstract

As COVID-19 has plagued our world, the term "social distancing" has been widely used with the aim to encourage the general population to physically distance themselves from others in order to reduce the spread of the virus. However, this term can have unintended but detrimental effects, as it evokes negative feelings of being ignored, unwelcome, left alone with one's own fears, and even excluded from society. These feelings may be stronger in people with mental illnesses and in socio-economically disadvantaged groups, such as stigmatized minorities, migrants, and homeless persons [1], many of them also having high risk for suicidal behaviors [2]. Mental health disorders are pervasive worldwide; the global burden accounting for approximately 21.2-32.4% of years lived with disability-more than any other group of illnesses [3]. So, the vulnerable group of people with mental health disorders represents a considerable share of the total global population.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19
  • Child
  • Communicable Disease Control*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Disabled Persons / psychology
  • Disabled Persons / statistics & numerical data
  • Emotions*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Mental Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Stereotyping
  • Terminology as Topic*
  • Vulnerable Populations / psychology
  • Vulnerable Populations / statistics & numerical data