There is a growing epidemic that the country needs to worry about, and it will only get worse if we don’t act, says the US surgeon general.
Loneliness and isolation are on the rise in the United States and are rapidly turning into a crisis with about half of adults saying they have recently experienced loneliness, according to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy’s 2023 advisory.
When I first took office as Surgeon General in 2014, I didn’t see loneliness as a public health issue, he said on his board.
It wasn’t until he traveled across the country to hear Americans share their stories of feeling isolated, invisible, and insignificant that he realized that social disconnection was far more common than he’d realized.
The crisis of loneliness
While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought feelings of isolation and loneliness to many, they were already on the rise.
The two make up this national matter of disconnect, and while they are related, they don’t mean quite the same thing. Social isolation is defined by having few relationships and a lack of social interaction, while loneliness is an internal state.
A 2022 study cited by the advisory showed that only 39% of Americans felt emotionally connected to others. The study showed that with this increase in lack of social connection with others, there was also an increase in loneliness.
The two factors have been shown to be more prevalent than many of today’s other major health problems, including smoking, diabetes and obesity, the advisory said.
An increase in the use of technology, a lack of community involvement, and a decline in personal participation in social interaction may be partly behind the increase in loneliness across the country.
Why social connection matters
Is simple. People who feel connected to others seem to live longer. Recent data covering 148 studies showed that individuals with a higher level of social connectedness increased their odds of survival by 50%.
Social connectedness influences health through three main pathways: biology, psychology and behavior.
Biology such as hormones, genes and inflammation; psychological such as having purpose and hope; and behaviors such as exercise, sleep, and nutrition.
So how can adequate social interaction help a person with these three health factors?
Social connectedness affects the biological pathway by showing up early in life and contributing to disease risk and protection along the way.
The psychological path is influenced by social relationships and by motivating the person in his life.
Behavior can be influenced directly through the social influence of words of encouragement from loved ones or by following suit, such as being more physically active if your friends exercise.
Lack of social connection, on the other hand, is a risk factor for deaths from the disease, the advisory says. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, infectious disease, anxiety, and impaired cognitive function are all possible outcomes.
A weakened immune system caused by less social interaction can increase a person’s chance of developing an infectious disease. A study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a lack of social connection with neighbors and resulting loneliness was associated with weaker antibody responses to the vaccine.
Ways to improve social connection
The notice suggests designing a common environment that helps build social connection through programs and institutes that bring people together.
From a government perspective, policies should be in place to minimize the harms from disconnection, Murthy says. Additionally, he says health professionals should be thoroughly trained on the topic and increase monitoring of disconnection in communities.
The surgeon general also advises that because digital environments can be a cause of loneliness and lack of social connection, companies need to provide greater data transparency so officials can more broadly understand how technology impacts disconnection. He also says those companies need to raise security standards to protect users.
For the nation to fight this epidemic, there needs to be a sense of public awareness and increased funding for research on the topic, Murthy says. He suggests bringing together researchers, health professionals and policy makers to create a national agenda to tackle the problem.
Overall, she says the most important way to farm is something people can do in everyday life. He says people need a new sense of social connection and to build a culture of connection through acts of service, being kind, respecting one another, and having these conversations in schools and workplaces.
The Surgeon General urges the public to act now because our future depends on what we do today.
Take that phone call from a friend. Find time to share a meal. Listen without the distraction of your phone, he said. Perform an act of service. Express yourself authentically. The keys to human connection are simple, yet extraordinarily powerful.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the NAMI HelpLine. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers a free nationwide peer support service that provides information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and healthcare professionals, mental health professionals and to the public. You can call 1-800-950-6264 or text the “HelpLine” at 62640 Monday through Friday from 10am to 10pm ET.
If you need immediate crisis help, call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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