Epidemic Of Loneliness

 

So while you’re on this lonely trip
Keep a watch for other ships
And if by chance our vessels pass
While you’re on this lonely trip
Keep a watch for other ships
And if by chance our vessels pass
Perhaps we’ll meet at last

— Lonely Trip by Trey Anastasio

 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

In a new report from the Office of the Surgeon General entitled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, Vivek Murthy, M.D. prioritizes loneliness — a feeling he says is experienced by half of American adults — as a public health concern:

Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.

 

Thus diagnosing the problem, Dr. Murthy proposes a national framework to build more connected lives and a more connected society:

If we fail to do so, we will pay an ever-increasing price in the form of our individual and collective health and well-being. And we will continue to splinter and divide until we can no longer stand as a community or a country. Instead of coming together to take on the great challenges before us, we will further retreat to our corners—angry, sick, and alone.

 

Dr. Murthy speaks from experience. In 2017, he found himself socially disconnected and isolated:

My first stint as surgeon general had just ended. I was suddenly disconnected from the colleagues with whom I had spent most of my waking hours. It might not have been so bad had I not made a critical mistake: I had largely neglected my friendships during my tenure, convincing myself that I had to focus on work and I couldn’t do both.

Even when I was physically with the people I loved, I wasn’t present — I was often checking the news and responding to messages in my inbox. After my job ended, I felt ashamed to reach out to friends I had ignored. I found myself increasingly lonely and isolated, and it felt as if I was the only one who felt that way. Loneliness — like depression, with which it can be associated — can chip away at your self-esteem and erode your sense of who you are. That’s what happened to me.

 

If it happened to him, he says, it can happen to anybody:

At any moment, about one out of every two Americans is experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. This includes introverts and extroverts, rich and poor, and younger and older Americans. Sometimes loneliness is set off by the loss of a loved one or a job, a move to a new city, or health or financial difficulties — or a once-in-a-century pandemic.

Other times, it’s hard to know how it arose but it’s simply there. One thing is clear: Nearly everyone experiences it at some point. But its invisibility is part of what makes it so insidious. We need to acknowledge the loneliness and isolation that millions are experiencing and the grave consequences for our mental health, physical health and collective well-being.

 

Dr. Murthy shares key data on the benefits of social connectedness:

• Adults across the globe rate their social relationships, particularly with family and close friends, as the most important source of meaning, purpose, and motivation in their lives.

• One recent study on community violence showed that a one standard deviation increase in social connectedness was associated with a 21% reduction in murders and a 20% reduction in motor vehicle thefts.

• A three-year study of 26 cities in the U.S. found that those with the highest levels of resident attachment experienced the greatest growth in GDP during the study period.

 

The Surgeon General’s report provides constructive answers to the question: What can I do to increase my level of social connection and improve my well-being?

1. Invest time in nurturing your relationships through consistent, frequent, and high-quality engagement with others.

2. Participate in social and community groups […] to foster a sense of belonging, meaning, and purpose.

3. Seek out opportunities to serve and support others.

4. Actively engage with people of different backgrounds and experiences.

5. Be responsive, supportive, and practice gratitude.

6. Reduce practices that lead to feelings of disconnectedness such as the harmful and excessive use of social media and spending time in unhealthy relationships.

7. Seek help during times of struggle by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider, or the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

8. Be open with your health care provider about significant social changes in your life.

 

Read the report from the Current Priorities of the U.S. Surgeon General here.

 

(Google Images)

 

source https://www.thepediablog.com/2023/05/18/epidemic-of-loneliness/