After months of socially restricting our interactions, we are restless and long for the company of family and friends. Some of us are even showing signs of more serious psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety. And, during the holidays, we saw people choose to ignore the advice from experts and participate in family gatherings, often flying to see them while others complied and stayed at home. So, why do some people comply and others do not?

Since the pandemic began, many people have only seen their friends and family on video calls or at a distance. While seeing others at a safe distance or on video may help, it is not a perfect substitute for being with others in person. With the upcoming holiday season, we are probably a little more frustrated than usual that we won't be able to be with our loved ones and friends. If you feel this way, new research indicates that our reaction may be more than just a psychological one, but may actually be biological, too.

At the risk of stating the obvious, there’s a lot going on! It seems like we’re trying to stay calm, but at the same time we feel like we have to get prepared. Within this frantic planning, people are talking about “hunkering down” and creating binge lists for viewing. What really concerns me about our plans to physically distance ourselves, however, is that this may also lead to emotionally distancing ourselves from others. And, that has consequences…