What do you think when you hear the word “epidemic”? Smallpox? Yellow fever? Polio?
What about loneliness?
It doesn’t seem as if it could be a serious problem to be a serious problem in public health, but that makes it so sneaky – and scary. In 2023, the general surgeon asked loneliness because of its serious effects on mental and physical health and compared the social separation to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
And because loneliness is more subjective than smoking or smallpox, it can be complicated to recognize and treat it.
“If you want to know whether someone is lonely, you have to tell you,” said Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, founder and president of the foundation for art and healing, a non -profit organization that helps people to combat loneliness . For the perspective, Nobel said that they had the most powerful telescope in the universe that can see through walls and they are on the moon. “They could see all isolated people on planet Earth, but they couldn’t find out who was lonely.”
Lonely define
Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, or that you have no meaningful, close relationships or a feeling of belonging, regardless of how much social contact you have.
Ironically, there are many people who feel that way. In a survey by the American Psychological Association from 2024 of 2024, 1 out of 3 adults showed feelings of loneliness at least once a week.
And loneliness in the United States is not just a problem in the USA that feels “quite” or “very” lonely under more than 140 countries worldwide – more than a billion people – according to a recently carried out survey. The survey also showed that more women feel lonely than men in more than half of these countries.
Loneliness and mental health
Chronic loneliness is more complex than just an occasional feeling – which everyone has by the way. It is absolutely natural to feel lonely from time to time. Long -term or chronic loneliness increases your risk of certain physical and mental illnesses, including depression.
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Nobel said loneliness was like a pyramid. The lower level comprises everyone because we all experience loneliness at some point. The middle level is if you go through a challenge-maybe a separation or take care of a child or a parent with an illness-and you back from people because you feel overwhelmed. This is natural, but it leads to an increase in loneliness. The top level is chronic loneliness.
When other people see that they are withdrawing, they tend to withdraw, said Nobel. And the lonely person becomes even more lonely. “It leads to a very high level of loneliness – loneliness is a serious medical problem,” he said. “So the key is not to be said:” We never let us be lonely. “The key is to avoid the spiral from this basic level to the middle level.”
The effects of loneliness can run deep. Studies show that loneliness increases the risk of depression, anxiety, self -harm and suicide. And over time it becomes more difficult to break out of the spiral.
Reaching a consultant or therapist can be an important step in the treatment of the psychological effects of loneliness.
The psychologist Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. “It can lead to you start to beat people, and that can lead to others not wanting to be near them … and they create even more loneliness because they pursue people,” she said. “You don’t know that you are doing it – it’s totally unconscious.”
Thomas said that loneliness can lead to other destructive patterns such as overuse, too much sleep and overly eat to avoid reality. “You do not invest in yourself or you do not take good care of yourself, so it can certainly go into other problems,” she said.
Nobel noted that women tend to take over more isolated roles such as family supervisors who put other people in the first place and allow loneliness.
Who is a risk of chronic loneliness?
As already mentioned, everyone can experience loneliness, but research shows that some people are more likely to experience chronic loneliness, including people who:
- Are members of the LGBTQ+ community
- Are immigrants
- Are single parents or supervisors
- Miss activities due to a lack of physical abilities or money
- Have long -term physical or mental illnesses
- Have bad family relationships
- Have experienced sexual or physical abuse
Signs and symptoms of loneliness
The symptoms and signs of loneliness vary from person to person can include:
- Without close relationships
- Sticking to conversations on the surface level and avoiding serious topics
- Feel exhausted after spending time with others
- Feel isolated and separated, even in a space of humans
For children and teenagers, parents can look for these common signs that their children feel lonely:
- Bad hygiene and not taking care of the look
- A negative attitude to life
- A loss of interest in activities
- A time at a time that is spent alone or online
- Sadness or fear
Nobel, who is also the author of “Project” Project Under: Healing Our CRISIS OF TRANSS “, added that it can be difficult for people in caregivers to ask for support. If you or someone you know shows signs of loneliness, you can take steps to feel better.
How to deal with loneliness
Nobel said the overcoming of loneliness begins by looking for their interests and hobbies inwards and what they are passionate. From there, he suggests that you do some research to see whether there is a club or a group that you can join in your region, including activities on a faith if you are a spiritual person. “It enables you to be in a room or environment of other people who share something. Then it is easier to disclose things about yourself, which is necessary to establish a connection, ”he said.
People who are naturally shy or introverted should follow the same approach and try to be connected to others by a common interest. “The key is to do something authentic – something you really get a kick from,” said Nobel. “You can volunteer in a cat home, but if you don’t like cats, you will not have this type of connection through a common passion for something.”
Many local universities offer further training courses and programs that focus on activities and hobbies such as dance, art, foreign language, photography, etc. If you don’t find a group near you, start your own. “It will give you even more passion and you will feel more enthusiasm again, and that can help to reduce these negative feelings,” said Thomas.
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In addition to trying something new, Thomas said that he should also turn to healthy relationships with people they have in their lives. “You can tell you how you feel, but listen to you and have a real conversation,” she said. “Perhaps you will say that you are also lonely or go through a difficult time and you can help you – to help others help someone feel less lonely.”
If existing healthy relationships are difficult, volunteer work and promotion are other ways to combine your life. “You have the feeling of making a difference and you have a purpose and there is a meaning again,” said Thomas.
It is also important to work on yourself. Thomas recommended that the day to start the day with 10 or 15 minutes in a diary over two things: a memory in which they experienced joy with other people and a time when they felt a connection with someone. “Write down it so that you remember that your whole life was not that and it doesn’t have to stay that way,” said Thomas.
With so many people who live with loneliness, the way forward is to make yourself out there and to help others do the same. “They are not alone because 50% of people feel clearly lonely from time to time,” said Nobel. “And the other half may not be ready to say it.”
This educational resource was created with the support of Pfizer, a healthy member of the corporate Advisory Council.
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