While the expression physical distancing refers to the greater or lesser remoteness between people, which can be measured in meters, el social distancing refers to the degree of isolation of a person or a group within its society. The mere fact of incorporating these terms into our daily lives already tells us that changes are happening much faster than we expected.
There is no doubt that the current situation in the world is transforming it and in many cases it will do so forever. The issue of emotional and social relationships is not exempt, as many people have gone from having a physical relationship with several dimensions to a virtual one that takes the flat form of screens.
The question that arises is how to get out of the screen and reach the other. In this sense, the answer is in develop the ability to generate emotions in others, to connect with them, something that is possible with small details that make them feel that you are present despite the distance, that you care about them and that everything will get better. Doing so can be, in many situations, as important for others as it is for yourself.

Change as a response

The ways of relating were already changing rapidly before the pandemic, so the question remains: what will it be like afterwards? It is very likely that they will return to the same or end up evolving even further, with issues such as social networks being definitive. because they had already become one of the most common ways of approaching and communicating today.
Technology was already an option that offered perhaps as many benefits as complications due to its influence on relationships of all kinds, especially those between couples, with such frequent topics as flirting, seduction and digital flirting. This has increased during the lockdown and the figures speak for themselves, an example being the app dating site Badoo, which says conversations on its platform are now 22% longer, video calls have grown by 9% and women are sending 25% more messages, while men are sending 12%.
It was also happening (and it is certainly something that continues to rise) that loneliness was gaining more and more ground, being an almost logical reaction to a hyperconnected world. In many cases it can be a path that overwhelms and depresses, but in others it is a personal choice that manages to teach many things. Loneliness is often associated with negative feelings, but when it is a chosen option it can provide great emotional well-being. You can be alone and take advantage of the benefits of this state, without necessarily having to remain socially isolated.
Thus, Solitude can make people know themselves better, be more self-confident and have a more appropriate response when making choices. It may be closely related to increased creativity, the ability to introspect and not suffering from emotional dependence. This, however, is not an invitation to be alone, but to know how to be at peace with oneself.
Getting over a breakup in the middle of confinement, for its part, is a new challenge that many people have had to face, having to rethink the traditional ways in which they could face this event: going on a trip, seeing friends, meeting an old love, sitting in a bar or a movie theater, going for a run or signing up for a gym, getting surgery or a tattoo. Today, they have to face the situation alone, facing themselves, holding back the urge to write to that person and instead choosing to write for themselves (there are few things as healing and liberating as writing).

What will become of love?

Traditional love has disappeared in many cases, giving way to different ways of feeling and a search for new sensations. It remains to be seen how we will experience our new relationships after the pandemic in a world in which they were already changing before this situation.
While divorces were on the rise, different ways of relating far beyond the virtual world were gaining strength, these being some of the most popular: flexisexual (bisexual girls who get together with guys who may or may not be as well), hybrid (one of the members is monogamous and the other can have sporadic relationships with third parties, always with the consent of their main partner), multiple dates (before choosing a person to share their day to day life with, many choose to open several doors and take advantage of all the possible opportunities to be able to try things out before making the final choice), swingers (partner exchanges) or polyamory.
However, Traditional love will fight its own battle to survive Despite the possibility that, once the current situation is over, a pandemic of separations will come, which is already the subject of memes, especially with divorce lawyers. Although at some point we will know the figures on this matter left by the confinement, it is very telling that in China, for example, according to statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the divorce rate has been increasing steadily since 2003, when the laws were liberalized. More than 1.3 million couples divorced that year and the numbers grew gradually for 15 years, reaching a maximum of 4.5 million in 2018. Last year, 4.15 million Chinese couples broke off their engagement.
If we want to avoid a similar stampede in our region due to the current situation, each of us can do our part by accepting that everything we are experiencing is different and that we were not prepared as individuals or as couples. We can be more understanding and moderate our emotions, using balanced and optimistic language. It doesn't hurt to make agreements for living together, to give space to empathy, to generate healthy routines that give a feeling of stability and control of the situation. It is important to know how to escalate conflicts, not to be reactionary, but reflective, so primary responses like anger need to be allowed to dissipate.
It is clear that the current moment can change us, it is up to each person to find the best response for everyone around them, without forgetting themselves. Make sure you do your part and look out for your own benefit as well as that of those around you.