Article

A concern around loneliness

Introduction

I have begun to grow concerned about the issue of loneliness. It seems to have risen, notably due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Some research even suggests it is on the rise and shows no signs of slowing down. I wish to address some vital questions in this article about loneliness and why it is occurring, discussing the effects of loneliness, its increasing nature globally that may lead to a possible epidemic. Why loneliness is a concern for everyone in society, including the many health implications as a result. There are various strategies we can implement to help reduce loneliness, including what the individual and society can do to help with this problem we all face.

Who is loneliness affecting?

Some research indicates that young individuals are more likely to experience loneliness than older individuals. Other research suggests that older individuals experience loneliness more frequently.

When looking at the statistics concerning young individuals, we can see the following around loneliness within the workplace. 79% of Gen Z and 71% of millennial individuals considered themselves lonely; in comparison, around half of the baby boomers in the research found themselves lonely (Why loneliness affects young people more often than older adults, no date).

When considering the older generation, one of the reasons they tend to experience loneliness more frequently is due to living alone because of the death of a spouse, family member and friends, and with age comes certain limitations due to declining health and so on (Modglin, 2023).

It is paramount to avoid assuming that loneliness only affects the young and old, as anyone of any age, gender, income level, social status, etc, can experience loneliness.

Is there an increase in loneliness?

From what we can gather from the research freely available, we can say with confidence that loneliness is on the rise and even predates the Covid-19 epidemic.

A study conducted in 2020 by Cigna on adults aged 18 years and older in America found an increase in loneliness from 54% in 2018 to 61% nationally in 2019.

During the Covid-19 epidemic, there was an increase in loneliness globally, which you can deduce in the following statistics. 41% of people reported becoming lonelier in the past six months when the survey between 23 December 2020 and 8 January 2021 (Beaver, 2021).

Is there a loneliness epidemic?

Allow us to define the epidemic here. Of course, if we take it for its direct meaning, then its relation is to the widespread occurrence of a disease. We know that loneliness is not a disease, as it is an emotional state that we find ourselves in due to our perception of isolation from others. Thus, our use of the word epidemic strictly relates to the idea that it is widespread in our case, that means globally.

From the discussion above and the evidence presented, we can deduce that loneliness is increasing globally. It is widespread and affecting enough people for us to consider it an epidemic.

Why loneliness is a concern.

When we look at the potential effects of loneliness, we can recognise that it presents multiple problems for our society. The reason is that research has been able to link loneliness with many different health implications.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, studies found the following health risks linked with loneliness (Behavioural and Adults, 2020):

Being socially isolated increases a person’s risk of premature death.
There is evidence to show that the risk of developing dementia increases by 50%.
There is a 29% increase in the risk of heart disease and a 32% increase in the risk of a stroke when considering poor social relationships in conjunction with social isolation or loneliness.
Concerning the mental aspect, there are increasing feelings of depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Lastly, heart failure patients are nearly four times more likely to die, 68% more likely to be hospitalised, and 57% more likely to visit the emergency department.

The CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) found there to be the following long-term risks with chronic/persistent loneliness (Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious health conditions, no date b):

Increased risk of cognitive decline
An increased risk of high blood pressure
An increased likelihood of obesity
Lastly, there is evidence to show a decline in a person’s immune system.

The above indicates that feelings of loneliness can bring about health implications that extend beyond the emotional level, as these feelings tend to decrease quality of life and bring about negative bodily changes that can pose serious risks for people.

What can we do about loneliness?

When considering the different means of intervention for treating loneliness, many options are available to everyone. There are options that you as an individual can implement and options in which communities must get involved to help reduce the impact and severity of loneliness. Please consider that the suggestions to follow will differ from person to person, and what one person finds helps with their loneliness, another may not.

Without attention brought to the matter, the issue continues to remain unresolved. Thus, by bringing awareness to the issue through the community, we can help reduce the stigma of loneliness, which will encourage more people to be open about it and encourage them not to be afraid to seek help.

Turning our attention to what the individual can do, the following has been suggested on Forbes Health (Modglin, 2023c):

Immerse yourself in hobbies: When you engage in hobbies you enjoy, your hobbies can present an opportunity to meet others with similar interests, depending on your engagement with others. For example, if you decide to learn the guitar, if you are learning by yourself and never leave home, you are least likely to meet others; however, if you go for music lessons, the guitar store, and online music forums, you are more likely to meet others with a similar hobby.
Involve yourself in volunteer work: You can volunteer for an organisation of your choice, increasing your sense of accomplishment and pride while presenting an opportunity to meet others who support the cause you do.
Support groups: This would entail directly connecting with those who have something in common with you, like a particular illness, addiction, etc.
Maintain constant contact with friends and family: Putting an effort into maintaining and reaching out to friends and family will help you stay connected with others, improve your bonds with them, and help keep loneliness at bay.
Eat healthily with enough exercise: It goes without saying that – living a healthy lifestyle will help keep physical and mental illness at bay, which is crucial, specifically when you can prevent illness that would interfere with your social life.

Beyond these suggestions, there is more an individual can do to alleviate loneliness, which will boil down to personal choice and figuring out what works best for you. Of course, there is no definitive answer to the issue of loneliness, as more research on this matter is required, as it remains woefully under-researched.

Conclusion

With the above in mind, we can easily deduce that loneliness is a serious problem we all face. It can affect anyone at any age and can present many mental and physical health issues if left unresolved. Knowing this, we must work together to find solutions that are practical/effective, but this stands unsatisfied as the issue remains woefully under-researched. Due to the lack of effective/adequate solutions, stigma, and insufficient help, the problem is worsening. Only when we take this issue more seriously and willingly work hand in hand will we see a positive change in loneliness.