Loneliness, a human and public health issue

Loneliness is part of the human experience and has inspired the verses of poets and composers for centuries, and has also attracted the attention of philosophers, psychologists, sociologists or doctors who have tried to explain it from its origins to its consequences.

“No one learns, no one desires, no one teaches how to endure solitude,” German philosopher, poet, and musician Friedrich Nietzsche said of this emotional state: “Being surrounded by other people.”

Loneliness is not just the physical absence of other people, but a subjective feeling of lack of connection or meaningful relationships.

Since losing his wife and two children in a traffic accident five years ago, Javier Roca has felt that loneliness is silently and painfully eating away at his life and soul.

“There could be hundreds of people around me and I felt lonely. I didn’t want anyone to talk to me or visit me at home. What’s more, I was working like a robot just to pay my expenses. I didn’t care about anything anymore. My life was going on in that bus driven by a drunkard that took my family away. Will I ever be at peace again?” said the 31-year-old economist who works for a state agency.

Jodi Picoult, a brilliant storyteller whose captivating writing deeply affects her readers, seems to have found the answer to Javier’s loneliness. “I’m telling you, if you meet a loner, no matter what they tell you, it’s not because they like to be alone. It’s because they’ve tried to fit in before and people have always let them down.”

Topics of global concern

Today, loneliness has reached alarming levels, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared loneliness a global public health problem in 2023.

This crisis, which affects young people and adults alike, not only has profound consequences for people’s physical and mental health, but it also poses serious challenges to the field of psychology tasked with understanding and treating this increasingly common phenomenon.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said that people without stable social relationships are more likely to suffer from health problems such as stroke, anxiety, dementia, depression and suicide.

In addition, WHO has established the Social Connections Commission to address this issue globally, tackle loneliness as a pressing health threat, prioritize promoting social connections, and accelerate the scale-up of solutions in this area in countries of all income types.

Psychological perspective

José Vásquez Jaliri, a cognitive behavioral and systemic psychotherapist and professor of psychology at Unifranz Franz Tamayo University, points out that from a subjective point of view, loneliness “is an unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relationships becomes less pleasant,” and that there may be deficiencies in interpersonal relationships.

This type of loneliness is particularly harmful because it can create feelings of pain, fear, and distress, which can lead to depression and carry serious risks such as suicidal ideation.

On the other hand, when viewed objectively, loneliness is a genuine lack of a social support network, which can be a personal choice or a result of circumstance, the professional added.

Loneliness does not discriminate against age, place of birth, time or social status because the human brain is designed to be a social brain.

“From the moment we are born, we have to associate with people. Even the smartest person in the world cannot be alone; from the moment we are born to the moment we die, we are social beings. We need society to survive,” the academic noted.

Is being alone or lonely a skill?

Learning to be comfortable with moments of solitude is a social skill, especially when it is demanding or necessary, such as when you become independent or move abroad.

“The result of this skill is an increased likelihood of pleasant and positive experiences, better knowledge and resources (such as a network of work contacts). Finally, it promotes good decision-making and creativity,” says Vásquez.

Symptoms of chronic loneliness

● Feeling of Uselessness (Low Self-Esteem): I can feel that in social coexistence my contribution or suggestions will not be helpful and that is why I remain isolated waiting for the environment to take care of all development activities.

● Fear of rejection (Social insecurity): I am unable to be active with my surroundings and I am afraid of making a mistake and getting rejected, this is the biggest fear and that is why insecurity grows in every aspect of life.

● Little eye contact: Avoid making little or no eye contact as this can create shyness and self-doubt; your eyes often represent your personal emotions, so don’t try to show them.

● Inactivity: In the face of little social interaction, physical inactivity (attitudes toward leisure) and little desire to participate in social activities may occur.

● Social Failure: I feel like I am not networking correctly, so seeing and feeling like I don’t fit in with my social environment can cause me to feel like a failure, which can lead to the person isolating from their peer group.

Although it is difficult to accurately measure social isolation and loneliness, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recent studies have found that:

● Social isolation significantly increases a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk comparable to smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

● Social isolation is associated with a nearly 50% increased risk of dementia.

● Poor social relationships are associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.

● Loneliness is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.

● Loneliness in heart failure patients was associated with a nearly fourfold increased risk of death, a 68% increased risk of hospitalization, and a 57% increased risk of emergency room visits.

Tips for fighting loneliness

It is important to distinguish between loneliness and calm or healthy independence. The first step in resolving the issue is to recognize whether you are experiencing calm or social isolation.

Vásquez offers some tips for coping with loneliness:

● Do more activities that create new social connections, such as joining a music group, singing group, playing sports, reading, or traveling.

● Understand and embrace solitude as a time to reflect and improve personal connections.

● Be patient, because no one is alone forever. We are social beings destined to coexist.

● Engage in personal activities that contribute to your physical and mental health.

● Seek help from family, friends, and if that isn’t possible, a mental health professional.

Fighting loneliness is a collaborative effort that requires both public policy intervention and individual awareness and action. Recognizing and addressing this issue is essential to building a more connected and healthier society.