People doing social distancing might suddenly feel a sort of skin hunger, a craving for human touch, the sort of thing that comes from a simple hug.
According to research published in Communication Monograph, the craving for touch involves both heredity and a psychological need for physical human interaction.
Part of the need for touch may come from infancy. An infant needs touch to survive and this need for touch never goes away, according to researcher Kory Floyd of the University of Arizona.
Skin hunger might reveal as a need for a hug, a need for a back scratch or rub, or a kiss on the cheek.
Technology has done many things, but offering touch is one thing it can't do — or at least hasn't done yet.
Skin hunger is a signal that we need people and touch in our lives, Floyd said.
Floyd states the need for affection is different between men and women. About 45 percent of a woman's need for affection is driven by hereditary factors and 55 percent from environment, such as personal experiences. Men seem to be solely dependent on their environment.
So what can you do in quarantine?
– Use your memory. Think of a time in your life when you felt happy and connected to others. Try to imagine the scene, the colors, and the smells. Think of the people there and how you interacted. Use photos to help.
– Try an old movie for enjoyment and memories: Mary Poppins (1964), The Rocketeer (1991), Brown Sugar (2002), Coming to America (1988), Doc Hollywood (1991), Mrs Doubtfire (1993), Sister Act (1992), The Sound of Music (1965), Shrek (2001), The Princess Bride (1987), Singing in the Rain (1952).
– Try a bath with an aromatic oil.
– Try arranging a socially-distanced outdoor party with friends, with everyone talking from their own car, for example.
