In every society, kinship ties and friendship networks intersect with lines of kinship and local communities. Historically, these connections were crucial for survival as they enabled information sharing and food distribution, which remain a significant aspects of social celebrations.
These diverse social bonds not only contribute to happiness and mental well-being but also impact physical health. In fact, loneliness poses a greater risk than obesity, inactivity, high blood pressure, or an unhealthy diet. This is why the Surgeon General refers to loneliness as an "epidemic."
His report concluded that people who lack close confidants are twice as likely to die prematurely compared to people who are not lonely. If humans are inherently social, why is the social fabric becoming so threadbare?
Why Social Connection Is Fraying
In-person interactions are diminishing as remote communication and social media take their place. Although these alternative methods help sustain social connections across distances, they don't adequately replace face-to-face contact. A significant number of individuals claim to have no close friends or confidants to share sensitive information. For instance, 50% of Americans report feeling lonely, with young adults experiencing the highest rates. Efforts to preserve familial relationships despite geographical barriers exist; however, urban living weakens extended family bonds. This is evident during Chinese New Year celebrations, when millions leave cities to reconnect with family in rural hometowns.
Men tend to have limited social networks, which could explain why marriage has a greater impact on their health and well-being than on women. Nowadays, fewer individuals are getting married, and those who do are marrying later in life. As a result, in some contemporary cities like Stockholm, single-person households outnumber married ones. As marriage becomes less prevalent for fostering social connections, birth rates decline, leading to lonelier parents in their later years and numerous children growing up without siblings as companions or playmates. Consequently, traditional sources of face-to-face social interaction are diminishing in modern urban settings. Meanwhile, electronic communication is gaining significance due to the widespread use of cell phones and broadband internet.
The Surgeon General's report highlights a significant decrease in real-world social interactions while more individuals report feeling lonely. Paradoxically, online communication has skyrocketed, with many dedicating most of their waking hours to mobile devices, primarily on social media platforms. The lonelier people feel the more time they spend on social media. Someone may have countless online friends but lack a real-life confidant. The implication is that loneliness drives people to spend more time online. Regrettably, they fail to find the necessary social support to alleviate anxiety and depression. Instead, they become susceptible to cyberbullying and the exposure to private images and information. Thus, despite other benefits, digital networks cannot combat loneliness as effectively as real-world friendships can. This leads to severe health consequences.
How Loneliness Undermines Health
Modern society's structure often makes it challenging for many individuals to meet social needs and prevent loneliness. This heightened loneliness can lead to increased susceptibility to anxiety and depression, which are linked to major health risks such as heart disease, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide. Although the mental impact of social isolation is evident, researchers have worked diligently to determine how loneliness contributes to a higher risk of premature death. Loneliness raises stress hormone levels partly because close social connections release oxytocin, a hormone that counteracts stress. Additionally, loneliness can cause inflammation associated with various severe illnesses like heart disease and cancer.
Lonely people often suffer from a lack of meaning that derives from social integration and community involvement. They are prone to hopelessness and are not good at recovering from setbacks.
Loneliness is associated with poor nutrition, bad sleep habits, smoking, and failure to get adequate exercise or medical attention. It is alarming that around half of Americans report feeling lonely. This is a grim statistic, considering that loneliness increases the risk of premature mortality by 65 percent. Develop a solid plan of action, follow your plan on a consistent basis, and you will start to feel good about the decision you made and the process. Remember, in order to do something, you have never done, you have to become someone you have never been.
For more information, contact Chris Packham, LAADC, MSW, M-RAS, CCDS, CS
at dcpackhams@gmail.com or 408-915-1321.
