The Loneliness Epidemic
In a podcast from October 2019, Ezra Klein interviewed former US surgeon general Vivek Murthy on the loneliness epidemic. The following piece is a response to and summary of their conversation.
What is Loneliness?
Loneliness is a form of social isolation that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. It’s not determined merely by the number of people you have around you. It’s thought of as an evolutionary response that lets us know to seek out closer relationships and community. The feelings of stability and engagement that we gain from a social network with strong connections help combat loneliness.
A visualization of loneliness.
How Loneliness Impacts Your Physical and Mental Health
Loneliness is a feeling but it also has physical manifestations. The symptoms of loneliness, such as fatigue, stress, high blood pressure, etc, build on themselves over time and further incline those experiencing them to withdraw. Loneliness is isolating since it can lead people to experience feelings of insignificance or unworthiness, and make challenges (especially social ones) feel insurmountable.
The health consequences of loneliness are significant. “Social relationships, or the relative lack thereof, constitute a major risk factor for health—rivaling the effect of well-established health risk factors such as cigarette smoking, blood pressure, blood lipids, obesity and physical activity”[1]. Loneliness is also strongly associated with stress which, if unabated, can lead to trouble sleeping (waking up more often in the night, lower quality sleep), tiredness, lethargy, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, among other symptoms.
Loneliness in American Culture
Our culture has historically stigmatized loneliness yet, during Vivek Murthy’s time in office, it was the ailment that Americans brought up with him most often. There is clearly a disconnect between the need to address loneliness and the resources publicly available to do so. It was during his time as surgeon general that Murthy recognized the depth of his own loneliness as he was unable to spend quality time with family and friends. He used his experience to speak to the importance of leaders displaying vulnerability, especially around issues such as loneliness, as a means of reducing social stigmas.
We in the US exist in a high-efficiency, individualistic culture. Our determinants of success, such as a large, secluded estate, or no obligation to work, isolate us from our communities. Furthermore, we associate success with individual skill and achievement, rather than as a result of collective efforts. The more efficient the individual, the more successful they are. This drive to maximize our efforts can detract from the “negative space” that we have in our lives. Getting everything we can out of our time can mean that we sacrifice small moments of quiet solitude or causal interactions with one’s neighbors.
Loneliness Around the World
Loneliness is not limited to the US. Many countries such as the Netherlands, New Zealand, France, Ireland, and Sweden are pursuing national loneliness campaigns. The UK has a minister of loneliness and the Campaign to End Loneliness has tons of resources on the topic. According to British Red Cross research, about 20% of those living in the UK are always or often lonely. It is important to mention that loneliness is probably more common than reports suggest, as admitting to loneliness is often stigmatized which impacts self-reporting. Even using the word “loneliness” can lead to diminished results.
“Regardless of whether loneliness is increasing or remaining stable, we have lots of evidence that a significant portion of the population is affected by it," says Holt-Lunstad. "Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need—crucial to both well-being and survival.” [2]
What communities can do:
Recognize that interactions occur between people, and can be encouraged through design, but not forced. This is especially relevant given that the environments and the social structures we live within impact our lives and our choices.
Pool resources to better support all members
Acknowledge and support everyone’s threshold for loneliness.
Be open about communicating the spectrum of loneliness
Reinforce that all different types of people are needed to make a successful community
Respect the distinction between loneliness and solitude (everyone has a right to their privacy and space)
Encourage opportunities for quality connections to be built
Give people chances to share their experiences with loneliness
Encourage interactions - they build community and even casual interactions that we witness make us feel more connected with our neighborhood.
Sources
House JS, Landis KR, Umberson D (1988) Social relationships and health. Science 241: 540–545.
Novotney, Amy. “The Risks of Social Isolation.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, May 2019, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation.