A warm embrace. A handshake. A comforting pat on the back. All are forms of physical touch that were once an ordinary, taken for granted, piece of daily life. Now, physical touch has been temporarily shunned due to COVID-19 from society’s routine, resulting in a phenomenon called “touch deprivation.”

In 1990, 2 scientists visited understaffed orphanages located in Romania. Upon observation, it was discovered that the children in these orphanages were extremely sensory deprived. They were physically and emotionally underdeveloped, which scientists were able to trace back to a lack of physical touch. Without physical contact, these children were experiencing lower levels of cortisol and growth development, according to Tiffany Fields, the head of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine.

From the time spent in the womb up until elderly years, touch is vital to proper emotional and physical development. Physical touch can affect communication, personal relationships, and fighting diseases. During early development, touch is crucial for building healthy relationships by stimulating pathways for oxytocin (also known as the “cuddle” or “love hormone”), and the natural antidepressants serotonin and dopamine. 

One of the most significant things that physical touch can affect is reducing stress, and can even calm certain bodily functions such as heart rate or blood pressure. It does so by stimulating pressure receptors that transport signals to the vagus nerve. This nerve connects to the rest of the body, and it utilizes its signals to slow the pace of the nervous system.

In the current climate, COVID-19 has not only discouraged physical touch, but nearly banned it completely by enforcing 6-feet apart guidelines. “Human beings are wired to touch and be touched. When a child is born, that is how they bond with their mother—through touch,” said Asim Shah, M.D., professor and executive vice chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine. “Our wiring system has touch everywhere, so it’s difficult for us not to think about physical contact.”

As touch deprivation continues, stress, depression, and anxiety can all increase, which creates a triggering domino effect on the mental health of individuals, including insomnia and changes in digestion. “It is normal to struggle with the loss of touch,” says Devita Streva, a licensed social worker and a psychotherapist in the mental health field for 30 years who works as a psychosocial oncology therapist at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus. “Touch is a legitimate physical and emotional need. It’s part of the human experience, and losing that and not knowing when you will get it back is hard.”

So when will touch be socially acceptable? The answer is unknown, but currently experts are predicting that some things, such as the handshake, will no longer be a part of society. Even Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the country’s leading COVID-19 expert, admitted that he doesn’t believe people should reintroduce the handshake. “I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you,”

Fauci said during a Wall Street Journal podcast last month. “Not only would it be good to prevent coronavirus disease, it probably would decrease instances of influenza dramatically in this country.”

But there are ways to replace the need for physical touch and the release of oxytocin with other activities. While none of them are as beneficial as a long bear hug from a close friend, they are close substitutes.

• Writing in a journal: Along with the loss of physical touch, often comes a feeling of loneliness. Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist at UCLA Health in Los Angeles says mindfulness activities may help you envision what it will feel like when you are able to finally hug the person you miss. By putting pen to paper and processing the feelings of loss and sadness, can reduce the feelings of loneliness and isolation. If you want to reach out to friends from afar, be intentional and personal with your communication with them, which will make them feel heard.

• Spending time with pets: Since COVID-19 began in March, dog adoption rates have skyrocketed. Some rescues have even reported dozens of applications per individual dog. Americans specifically are trying to fill the void with canine companionship. Cuddling with a dog or another furry friend has been proven to be therapeutic, and is a great way to experience physical touch while remaining “coronavirus-conscience”. At the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aimals Los Angeles, a nonprofit shelter, adoptions were double their usual rate in late June, with 10 or 13 adoptions a day, president Madeline Bernstein said. A waiting list had formed for certain types of dogs, and for puppies in general, because so few were left in the shelter.

• Exercising: Lastly, exercise increases the levels of oxytocin in the body, as well as releases endorphins. In a 2008 study, distance runners had significantly higher bloodstream levels of oxytocin after completing an ultramarathon than at the start, according to a blogpost on New York Times.  In clinical studies, exercise is as effective as antidepressants in reducing symptoms for mild to moderate depression. Going for a run, dancing, swimming, and riding a bike are all examples of exercises that can be done while remaining socially distanced. 

Adjusting to life with Corona (COVID-19) has completely changed the perception of “normal”. Things as miniscule as physical touch have been altered forever, and educating oneself on how to combat the effects of losing parts of life that are normally overlooked but so important in terms of seeing the big picture.  “Human beings are very resilient,” says Fauci. “We will learn the new level of intimacy. We will learn the new way of human connection—and we will learn to bring joy in different ways.” 

Center, Texas Medical, and Cindy George. “Touch Starvation Is a Consequence of COVID-19’s Physical Distancing.” TMC News, 15 May 2020, www.tmc.edu/news/2020/05/touch-starvation/. 

Clopton, Jennifer. “How to Cope When COVID Steals Loving Touch, Hugs.” WebMD, WebMD, 15 June 2020, www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200615/how-to-cope-when-covid-steals-loving-touch-hugs. 

Fields, ―Dr. Tiffany, and Jonathon Jones. “Why Physical Touch Matters for Your Well-Being.” Greater Good, 16 Nov. 2016, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_physical_touch_matters_for_your_well_being. 

Kavin, Kim. “Dog Adoptions and Sales Soar during the Pandemic.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Aug. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/08/12/adoptions-dogs-coronavirus/. 

Reynolds, Gretchen. “The ‘Love Hormone’ as Sports Enhancer.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Nov. 2012, well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/the-love-hormone-as-sports-enhancer/. 

Sharkey, Lauren. “Is ‘Skin Hunger’ Actually A Thing?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 23 Sept. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/touch-starved.