How long can you stay completely isolated from everyone??

That’s a really difficult question.

The easy answer for me is that as long as we’re being asked to practice social distancing, the responsible thing is to practice social distancing. I also expect that social distancing will be a thing until there is a vaccine available and I cried while laying on my bathroom floor today after contemplating what that really means.

For me, I feel like I need to be responsible and socially distance myself, especially given the following circumstances: schools and day cares are closed, I’m not working and neither are my kids, none of us are going anywhere or seeing anyone, and even going to the grocery store fills me with days of dread and anxiety. I believe it would be both irresponsible and hypocritical of me to meet up with men to be intimate.

And trust me... it’s not the decision I want to make.
I don’t know how I’m going to proceed or what decisions I’ll make moving forward.

My very favourite sexual partner ever has come back into my life and it’s really really hard to say no when he asks to see me. However, he’s a police officer and currently working with the public and I feel that it is a risk I cannot take because I’m not taking that risk anywhere else in my life currently.

Perhaps if my circumstances were different I’d make different choices (like if I didn’t have children or if I was still going to work).

Well, I'm isolated with my hubby, so there's that. Not a lot of hanky panky going on though.

I could stay isolated from everyone else indefinitely, except I really really want to see my daughter and granddaughter. I know, not exactly what you were asking, but I'm such a freaking loner, even more than I realized prior to this.

Nope. Not if you aren’t already in each others’ isolation group.

I'm very lucky in that I'm isolated with my lovely Dh so I do have physical contact but that doesn't mean I don't yearn to hug other people, especially my grandson who is only 3. That about tears me apart. I have seen him from 2 metres away once or twice since lockdown and it was all I could do not to grab him and snuggle him and ruffle his hair and breathe in his little boy smell   

I can do it as long as it needs to be done to protect those I love. But that doesn't mean it's easy. And now I'm crying.

I am just going to say that I would weigh very carefully letting someone in to my bubble. But for me, the idea is not totally off limits. And that I think mental health is important.

I'll give you an example. In my household, I have DH (essential worker) and DS (not working). I am working from home. I allow my DD to come over (essential worker) she lives alone and is struggling right now with poor mental health. There is no way on earth that I am cutting myself off to her given her current state. That's a risk I am willing to take.

My mom lives alone and is working from home. She was dating a man who also lives alone and he is currently not working. She has chosen to allow him into her social isolation. For her mental health. Does it increase her risk? Yes. But am I ok with this? You bet I am. He is very low risk as he is isolating from everyone too. And the first few weeks they didn't see each other and had a terrible time of it. My mother was seriously depressed. I encouraged her to let him in her circle during isolation. And personally she is less at risk than I am right now.

So I think you need to weigh things very carefully. No way am I going to be judgy about this because it is one thing to be safe and it is another to be completely alone.

The not hugging is so hard! I won't judge anyone, especially those living alone.

It is hard to be alone at this time. But my mom is next door and my dad died in January so I make sure to see her daily if not 2x a day. We follow precautions when out and yes she has gone out. She had no choice the other day to meet with the monument people at the cemetery.

A widowed, family member who is living alone decided to create a "unit" with another widow who lives in her neighborhood. Both stay at home pretty much exclusively and only see each other. I think it's something that every individual needs to balance for themselves. Long term isolation is incredibly difficult for many people.

I do not feel anyone has to stay in COMPLETE isolation (unless they are positive and currently really sick of course). You can meet in the driveway and sit six feet apart and socialize. Or it is easy to take a walk with a friend and stay six feet apart. That said, I am not a touchy person so I do not miss hugs and stuff like that!!!

Do you have a recommendation against ‘unnecessary’ travel? In the U.K. we’re asked not to leave the house except for food/pharmacy shopping, helping someone elderly/vulnerable or to go to work if you can’t work at home. Leaving for exercise should be on foot as ideally you should exercise as locally as possible. This would limit who I could meet up with as we shouldn’t drive anywhere to meet a friend for a walk. Luckily I have a few neighbour I can chat with as they walk past my house or who we cross paths with while out walking but I guess not everyone has.

I don’t think there is a problem bringing another person into your isolation circle, if he has been careful about exposure, practiced his own isolation and will continue to be. My grandmother and mother are part of our circle even though they are not part of our immediate household. I help both of them with their households/shopping and my grandmother stated she would rather die than not have contact with us. Her mental and physical health requires us to have contact with her. As long as your smart about it, I don’t think it’s a problem.