Highlights
- Educator Rosey Ferrer experienced an anxiety attack after more than four months of separation from her family due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
- Healing arts practitioner Lorelie Luna shares that human touch is a need and 'skin hunger' is real.
- Lorelie gives a practical tip for those experiencing 'skin hunger' and remains isolated from others.
Touch is a vital part of the human experience in as much as food, water, and the air is.
Never has the value of human contact been more apparent than in the time of COVID-19 when that which makes us human has been mandated to be limited or even disallowed.
Lockdown separation
Former international student in Victoria, Rosey Ferrer decided to seek opportunities elsewhere in the country to better her chances of being granted permanent residency.
"I got a job offer in Darwin for a teaching position. My contract started March 6th; but since my family and I only had 300 AUD in our account due to my studies, I decided to fly to Darwin alone," she shares.
Rosey left behind her husband and 11-year old daughter in Melbourne and rented a spare room in Darwin owned by a Filipino family she met on Facebook.
"When I left Melbourne, we thought it was just an ordinary day. There wasn't much hugging. I thought they'd be able to follow soon anyway," she shares, adding, "I underestimated COVID-19".
The COVID-19 outbreak led to lockdowns in the country, resulting in more-than-four-months' worth of separation between Rosey and her family.
Rosey was separated from her husband and daughter for more than four months. Source: Rosey Ferrer
"Because we were being asked to pay $2500 for mandatory hotel quarantine in the beginning, I couldn't bring them to Darwin right away. When that was waived and they were allowed to self-isolate in our own place, I got them tickets. They arrived June 15."
While her husband and daughter quarantined in their new apartment for 14 days, Rosey had to live separately from the two and could only drop off their groceries.
"I work with children so I needed to be careful as well. I could only see my daughter from the terrace. I couldn't hug her. I told her not to run to mum. It was so hard."
"I work with children so I needed to be careful as well." Source: Rosey Ferrer
The lack of contact with her family and the threat of the pandemic led to Rosey's first ever anxiety attack.
"I had difficulty breathing. I was imagining I had the virus too. I was rushed to the hospital and the doctor said it was an anxiety attack," she says.
Fortunately, the family reunited soon after the attack, with Rosey sharing, "all those anxieties in my heart for the past four months lifted off me when I was able to finally touch them. I look better and I feel happier now that we're together."
The first photo the family took after reuniting. Source: Rosey Ferrer
'Skin hunger'
Much like Rosey, those who are unable to have physical contact with their loved ones due to the pandemic feel not only physical deprivation but also suffer from an emotional loss.
According to healing arts practitioner Lorelie Luna: "Underneath our skin are unique receptors that respond to inflammation. Even if you get touched gently, this action already sends sensations to our body."
"When we are born, we are placed on our mother's chest. We are made to connect skin to skin. As soon as we come into this world, we receive touch. From that moment, it becomes a need for us."
Healing arts practitioner Lorelie Luna Source: Lorelie Luna
Even as we get older, Lorelie shares that human touch helps in reducing stress and loneliness.
"When we feel overwhelmed or under pressure, the body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. One of the biggest ways to reduce this is touch. Touch calms down bodily functions that are agitated."
While touch helps in calming down the anxious, Lorelie admits that the action isn't quite accessible as it used to be because of the pandemic.
"Recently, I saw a child around five years old with his parents and siblings. I didn't know them, but I saw the child run to who seemed to be his grandparents. Someone yelled 'Stop! Don't!' I saw the distress in the child's face and how his body slumped because he couldn't hug his grandparents."
Touch calms down the anxious. Source: Lorelie Luna
"Imagine not being able to hug your child for a day or so? It will have an impact on your mental health, especially if you are affectionate."
Lorelie shares that the lack of touch can also affect those who live by themselves - even if they are used to not having people around.
"A client came to my table. She lives by herself and hasn't had a massage in a long time. She was having back pain so I massaged her neck, chest, and pectoral muscles. She started crying because for her, [being touched] was an extension of love. She was missing it."
Lorelie shares that the lack of touch can also affect those who live by themselves - even if they are used to not having people around. Source: Lorelie Luna
For those who are missing human touch due to self-isolation, Lorelie recommends practising self-massage to open up one's chest and alleviate stress.
"A technique you can do is to stretch your right arm. Find your sternum or the middle of your rib cage and from there, drag your fingers across your chest following your clavicle. Put your hand all the way to your right rotator cuff (shoulder muscles, where the shoulder meets the torso) and massage. Keep doing this to open up your chest. Feel the warmth from your hands. It may help."
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