The Burden of Loneliness
Dr. Vivek Murthy’s mission as US Surgeon General is to reduce loneliness. “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” (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The US Surgeon General's Advisory on the Healing Effect of Social Connection and Community).”
We all feel what the US Surgeon’s Advisory reports: from 2003 to 2020, we spent at least 40% less time in companionship and social and family engagement. During that time, our daily time alone increased by an hour to 5.5 hours per day.
Undoing aloneness:
Have enough kinds of friends and spend time with them. Improving the number and variety of relationships in your life will increase engagement. Some relationships may be deep, others friends may be good to go hiking with, and some may be coworkers. Create a family of choice.
Create and maintain relationships the support you. Who makes you feel seen and heard? Who delights you and makes you laugh? Who shares their life stories with you? Connect regularly whether by phone, video or visiting.
Evaluate and maximize the quality of interactions. Not every connection will be deep and life-changing. Relationships that bring meaning to your life and make you feel accepted, wanted and included are the ones to prioritize.
A recently completed documentary called, “Join or Die,” about Dr. Robert Putnam and his work on combatting social isolation targets 2 ways to increase connection: through building bonding capital (people like you) and bridging social capital. “…Bridging social capital is (when) you (create) ties to people unlike you…ties to people of a different generation or a different gender or different religion or a different politic.” (“Robert Putnam knows why you are lonely,” Lulu Garcia-Navarro, New York Times, July 13, 2024).
Our Healing Therapy is one resource to receive support around changing connections with others. Contact us today.
