The epidemic of loneliness.
So this one may read like an academic paper, bear with me. It’s a vital conversation…and it’s why the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy is pretty one of much my new favorite people.
The epidemic of loneliness
How coming together could save our lives.
At the beginning of May, Surgeon General Murthy released his 85 page advisory on the widespread epidemic of loneliness to coincide with Mental Health Awareness month. In his dynamic call to action he speaks of the symbiotic nature of mind-body medicine, the profound impact of compassionate listening, and the transformative healing power of relationship. This advisory lays the groundwork for pivotal changes in our nation's investment in and acknowledgement of mental health. Dr. Murthy’s words push to further allocate funds in the direction of our psychological welfare and to continue to reveal the silent source of so many of our country’s ailments.
In 2014, Dr. Vivek Murthy embarked on a remarkable journey of research and empathy. The mission of his cross-country listening tour was to hear firsthand the pressing health concerns that plagued America. He was surprised by his findings. In city after city, the commonality in the stories shared was that people were drowning in loneliness and isolation. It’s worth noting that this tour took place years before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the most contentious election in our democratic history. The truth is, our disconnection from one another has only deepened since then, with current statistics indicating that a staggering 50% of our population experiences mental and physical distress as a result of loneliness.
In the opening letter of the advisory Murthy spoke openly of his concerns and sounded a call to create a unified movement to mend our social fabric;
“The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. …Given the profound consequences of loneliness and isolation, we have an opportunity, and an obligation, to make the same investments in addressing social connection that we have made in addressing tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis. ”
Loneliness isn't a fleeting emotion—it increases inflammation, decreases immunity, and raises blood pressure with overactive stress hormones. An undercurrent that flows beneath a wide spectrum of chronic diseases and premature mortality. It encompasses an extensive range of illness, stroke, cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, and dementia. Isolation fosters depression, anxiety, addiction and is the root cause of suicidality, and self harm. Dr. Murthy goes further unraveling the tangle of cause and effect. The catch 22 of is that poor health increases the likelihood of isolation and in isolation poor health is exacerbated due to a lack of feeling of social support. Our perception of life challenges are more stressful without a social structure of friends and family.
The burden of our limbic brain
Yes, once again. It all goes back to the fight or flight reaction in our sympathetic nervous system and our evolutionary response. We’re hardwired for community. Our animal brain recognizes strength in numbers as hunters and gathers, while the heart of humanity finds safety in social bonds. The underlying issue is that our safety and survival as individuals is being tested by the very eroding of our social bonds. Physically and psychologically, we yearn for human connection to truly flourish.
Since the onset of the pandemic, our brains have been conditioned to believe that isolation ensures our safety. While technology has managed to keep us tethered, it has also served as a source of distraction, undermining the quality of our connections with those right in front of us. Our intricate nervous system has a lot of recalibrating to do. We have to retrain our minds to recognize that our true needs for safety and survival ultimately come from coming together.
The stigma of loneliness
Collectively, the very first step is to remove the stigma of loneliness. We tend to feel like admitting loneliness is a sign of weakness and in that belief reaching out for help is hard. But loneliness is something we’ve all felt. Even if you’re an introvert and love being alone, loneliness has a different emotional charge. If only we could perceive loneliness as an internal signal, much like pain alerts us to bodily discomfort or thirst and hunger are messages from the body to get sustenance. Loneliness, at its core, is an indication that we crave social connection—a gentle nudge to pick up the phone or spend time with our loved ones. This is not to make light of how challenging it can be to overcome the heaviness of the feeling, but instead to recognize the importance of dismantling the stigma that surrounds it.
There is much work to be done, beginning with calming our own nervous systems and then mending the torn threads of our social fabric, each of us playing an urgent role in this process. Over the next three weeks, I’m inspired to dig deep into the subject of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection. Together illuminate our struggle through a lens of body, mind, spirit. Each facet an individual prism and as a unified kaleidoscope of resolution.
