Being lonely can affect your health. A “review of reviews” that analyzed 132 reports published between 1980 and 2021 showed a 27% increase in mortality in those who were “socially disconnected”. And it isn’t just about feeling bad. Being lonely is a form of stress that is as risky as smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, being physically inactive, or having high cholesterol. Loneliness is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.
While the trend toward more social isolation had been growing for many years, the social distancing recommended to contain COVID-19 accelerated the problem. Researchers and governments are particularly concerned about the significant increases in mental health problems being reported.
It seems that all this loneliness has been under the radar of our medical systems. When was the last time your family doctor asked you about your social situation... whether you were lonely, if you had family support, how many close friends you could depend on or talk to about things that were really bothering you? I suspect our systems of specialists that tend to divide up body systems rather than seeing us as an integrated whole have increased this trend. The idea that your mental health could affect your physical body was reserved for those thought of as hypochondriacs.
Studying the problem...
Research, new and old, supports a strong connection between the mind and body, through the immune and nervous systems. It’s been known for many years that the vagus nerve, a large nerve connecting the digestive system and the brain, is a 2-way highway of information in both directions. Surgery severing this nerve to reduce stress ulcers worked well to heal the digestive system, but often resulted in depression, and is no longer performed. Mental fatigue or stress can lead to tension headaches, thought to be the result of tightening of the muscles of the scalp. One theory of the cause of 25 to 50% of back problems suggests that when we are stressed or mentally overworked, our brain can respond by decreasing circulation to areas of the back, causing muscle spasms and back pain... an effective strategy to make us stop what we’re doing and rest, wouldn’t you say? (Check the references below if you’d like to read more about this)
So, it’s not a stretch of the imagination to realize that a mental condition like being lonely could have widespread physical effects throughout the body. It’s become a severe enough problem that the US Surgeon General has produced a 60-page document on the subject and the Canadian Government is taking an approach similar to that used to improve diet, increase physical activity and reduce alcohol consumption... they’ve commissioned guidelines to encourage both doctors and their patients to address our level of engagement with others, in hopes of improving general health of the population. Japan has appointed a loneliness minister, and the UK has a Campaign to End Loneliness. As we Baby Boomers age, the cost of increasing chronic diseases is looming in the near future.
So, what can we do to reduce our feelings of loneliness and isolation?
US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, suggests starting with small steps every day, using a source of healing hiding in plain sight: strengthening our individual relationships. Call a friend, make time to share a meal, perform an act of service for someone, reconnect with an old friend, put down your phone and just listen. Small human connections can be extraordinarily powerful.
On a recent flight, I watched Tom Hanks’ recent movie, A Man Called Otto. It demonstrates the impact connection can have, with a caring new neighbour insisting on being kind to him, an act that fosters more connections with others in his neighbourhood as his character opens up and emerges from his isolation and loneliness. It seems that the topic of widespread loneliness is garnering attention, even in the world of cinema. Perhaps this attention will help us to be more aware of the need to reach out to others too.
Note: I am in the process of switching web hosting sites, so I apologize if I've sent this blog to you twice. My new site is located at: https://jeanniebeaudin.wordpress.com/ if you're interested in checking it out... it has pictures!
References:
We’re developing the world’s first social connection guidelines! -- CASCH (Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health)
Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation – The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community
Healing Back Pain, The Mind-Body Connection – John E. Sarno, MD
Tension myositis syndrome – Wikipedia
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