Social Disconnection & Entrepreneurs.
Power-hungry entrepreneurs may focus on their businesses to the point they may neglect their family and friends. Some entrepreneurs are perfectionists and become obsessed with their aspirations, undergoing incessant striving, involving an imbalanced individualistic focus on attaining achievements. They prefer to win the competition over collaboration. However, their fixation on competition and achievement comes at a cost as those around them often neglect their loved ones or find it difficult to form meaningful relationships with others.
However, we are all guilty of social disconnection in one form or another, for example, smartphones, social media, and gaming increase our dopamine levels where we are no longer aware of our surroundings and more engrossed in our virtual world.
Typically if both my daughter and I are in the same room and we are glued to our devices we can go without speaking a word for hours at a time. This may seem like an unhealthy relationship although I do try stopping what I am doing most of the time to give my undivided attention. The way I see it is, we could be here one day and gone tomorrow therefore spending quality time with the people we cherish the most is by far more meaningful rather than wasting your time on things that do not matter. Building memories should be prioritized rather than spending your valuable time on social media or gaming unless there is money to make from it of course.
I remember my father where he worked, he isolated himself from the other workers at lunch break. He believed he had nothing in common with the workers other than sharing the same workplace and the workers singled him out through social class because they were mostly women and he was the only male and foreign.
For me, the reason why I choose the company I keep is that you have heard the saying”once bitten twice shy”, not only this unless someone is as passionate as I am about what I have built and will continue building. I am a businesswoman first and foremost. I do not believe, people who do not share my vision will ever share a common ground. I find small talk monotonous and would much rather be turning the wheel generating leads rather than wasting time chatting about the weather. Unless the person I am talking to can help me bring food to the table or help my business grow, then I am afraid they are not worthy of my time.
I have also been on the receiving end of certain people’s attitudes and it only fits to be friends when it suits them. When someone only contacts you once or twice in the year, they are not a friend. I have reached out to certain individuals for support in the past and they basically turned their backs on me, although if I was to bring the subject matter up I am convinced they would deny ever doing it. It just shows how people can be two-faced.
However, although I am highly motivated and driven in my work I also prefer to physically distance myself from people because of the pandemic. I am very aware of my surroundings and germ awareness. I take after my father in that respect as he was a loner and so am I. I prefer my own company.
Social disconnection worsens mental health after a loss.
Of course, social disconnection could be because of mental health, grief, and loss.
But it could be forced upon us through pandemic regulations. Sometimes people have no choice if they are restricted with whom they can meet and where.
I have experienced unimaginable grief something that is too painful to recall now. So in order to protect me from harm, I prefer not to socialize. I have trusted too many people in my life who have failed me and each time there is always something that I regretted saying or sharing, which was then used against me. When I needed certain people when I felt vulnerable were where they then?
Keeping grief hidden can be a survival technique after suffering a bereavement and can cause your mental health to worsen. I am very vocal when it comes to grief. However, research has shown that the social disconnection caused by concealing feelings of loss can increase psychological distress.
After bereavement, some people find it difficult to open up and say something is wrong, and that they feel immense sadness. They may experience an overwhelming feeling of despair and fear of looking vulnerable and insecure in front of friends and family can lead the bereft to avoid social contact altogether.
Studies have shown that individuals who report being socially disconnected are more psychologically distressed in the first 6 months of loss. Yet one government civil servant once so callously asked me and I quote “so how long do I expect to grieve” not long after my mother had passed away. I have never forgotten his name.
For me, the healing process is long and hard and one has to just grin and bear it so to speak. My memories of my loved ones that have passed away are as fresh as if they were yesterday and I will always carry sadness in my heart. I find writing very therapeutic. My journey is a long one in which I will find pastures new and I believe if you want to heal there are plenty of self-help resources available online.
If you find life unbearable please look at the useful links page to organizations that can help or contact your general practitioner for a consultation. You should never suffer in silence or go through it alone,
My superpower is the keyboard where I can release all my tension, anger, and frustration without having to leave my home and speak to anyone. For me, social disconnection is being able to connect with everyone on the planet virtually but to avoid all contact physically with the outside world. I can just about handle couriers and contractors to a certain degree, but to physically meet with someone is presently impossible for me.
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