Blocking out social media ‘smugsolation’

It’s no secret that daily life has changed dramatically for everyone across the world due to the global pandemic. The reality of being confined to our homes has been hard for many of us to deal with. For some, social media serves as a welcome escape from it all – somewhere to connect with others and stay involved with everything that is going on.

Celebrities from countries around the world have also taken to social media to share how they’re dealing with isolation. As with most celeb posts, lots of them have faced criticism for using the current situation to show-off their luxurious houses and at-home facilities or at least being unappreciative of the privilege of having a multi-million-dollar home. A term has been coined to describe this phenomenon; it has become known as ‘smugsolation’.

The lack of access to a gym alone can be very upsetting

People have taken to Twitter to stress that it may be a lot easier for these celebs to stay home and continue a relatively normal routine, as they have everything they could need in their home. For the average person, this is far from the case.

An important way in which this is evident is exercise. Most people do not have their own gym, and so cannot continue to exercise as they would have done prior to lockdown. Anyone who enjoys doing weight training is unlikely to have weights at home as they’re very expensive. The lack of access to a gym alone can be very upsetting as you have lost this part of your routine and may struggle to get back to the same level after lockdown.

It can be distressing to see out-of-touch posts on social media

This may be made worse for those of us who enjoy a run or walk outside if the government makes the decision to ban exercise outside of homes completely. I have found that going out for a walk or run during the day is great for my mental health, as I am sure it is to many people. With many of these outlets no longer available to us, it can be distressing to see out-of-touch posts on social media of people encouraging us to exercise when they have the amenities to do so and we don’t.

However, I have found the best way to ignore ‘smugsolation’ is to focus on the activities that everyone can take part in. For me, this means a daily walk with my dog to get some fresh air, alone time, and to take advantage of the sunny weather. I have also been making an effort to stay in touch with friends through messages and skype calls, which I find to be a great distraction from everything that’s going on. It is also easy to feel alone when you’re forced to stay home with the same people for the foreseeable future, so it’s important to keep in touch with friends and family, not only for your own mental health but also to ensure your loved ones are coping too.

Focus on your mental health and whatever you need to do to maintain it

Another productive use of time could be to experiment with a new recipe and even make use of all the almost-out-of-date ingredients that you have lying about in the house. It’s a great time to get creative as well – if you don’t have an ingredient, get creative and see what else you can make instead. I personally love no-bake vegan cheesecake (specifically a blueberry one) as they don’t need loads of ingredients and are so simple to make.

The most important thing to do during these times is to focus on your mental health and whatever you need to do to maintain it. Even though it’s hard, try not to worry about what anyone else is doing online, as long as you are doing what is healthy for you. Although, it doesn’t hurt to join in on the odd tik-tok trend!