A pressing need for human contact, to see people, to cuddle … Since the start of the pandemic, and even more so during this Valentine's Day, many people have suffered from "skin hunger".
This Sunday is Valentine's Day, and it will not help people who have already felt lonely since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between confinements and barrier gestures, human contact is almost prohibited for single people. This is why many of them experience a feeling that the Anglo-Saxons call the "skin hunger", which can literally translate by" skin hunger ", and more nicely by" human contact hunger. "An increasingly frequent neurological phenomenon due to the health situation.
"As we go through a dark and bitter winter blockade with no possibility of a passionate kiss, let alone a friendly hand squeeze, I find myself so hungry for human touch that it hurts physically.", testifies Kate Mulvey, journalist and author of an article on skin hunger for the Telegraph. "The lack of small gestures has perhaps been the hardest and most unexpected part of the pandemic", describes the American author Nicole Hardy, who confides to be "ready to collapse" if she doesn't have contact with someone.
Where does this hunger for human contact come from?
Contact with others and hugs are important for humans. "As a species, we are wired with a need for an apartment, and touch is an important part of satisfying that need. So just as we feel thirsty when we are dehydrated or hunger when we are hungry, we let us feel the hunger of the skin when contact is refused to us "says Colter Ray, assistant professor of communication at the University of San Diego, Telegraph. "When there is a deprivation of skin-to-skin contact for an extended period of time, we tend to develop a desire for contact with other living things. This is called skin hunger and it is a subject that is currently being debated because of the pandemic ", precise with The Hindu Vaishnaruby Shanmugaraj, clinical psychologist in Coimbatore, India.
“Touch is so fundamental to us, it's something a baby already receives in the womb. When we don't feel the touch of others – especially when we are deprived of loving touch, like hugs from friends or family members – we are susceptible to a contact deficit which can negatively affect us mentally and physically "adds Colter Ray. Not to mention that hugs allow the secretion of oxytocin, also called "love hormone", which allows you to feel relaxed and connected to each other, explains Dr Max Blumberg, researcher in psychology at Goldsmiths University of London, to the Telegraph. Oxytocin also helps reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure.
Skin hunger: what are the consequences?
The feeling of skin hunger should be taken seriously, since it can have serious psychological consequences. "Lack of contact can lead to feelings of loneliness, disturbed sleep, depression and anxiety, but this varies from person to person.", Sugami Ramesh explains to The Hindu.
How do you feel better when you suffer from skin hunger?
You can't replace human touch, but with skin hunger there are a few things that can help you feel better. Vaishnaruby Shanmugaraj advises not to hesitate to hug a pillow against yourself or use a weighted blanket. Her colleague also recommends exercising and cuddling her pet. On the Telegraph, it is also recommended to contact these relatives, in particular by video, to go for a walk every day, and to do self-massages, in particular on the neck, the skull or the feet. Simply scrubbing or spreading moisturizer on the body is also effective.
If the feeling of skin hunger is really strong, don't hesitate to seek medical help. You may find help from your doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist. At the start of the epidemic, the government also set up an information and support number (0 800 130 00), free of charge and accessible 24/7, which allows contact with a psychological support system.
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