In recent years, the discussion has begun to expand about the reasons why more people prefer to spend most of their time alone. In the United States, for example, it has been observed that the time spent with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors has decreased, from 15 hours to only 10 hours per week, in the period From 2012 to 2021, according to a survey conducted by the US Census Bureau.
But what is striking is that “the effects of this increasing tendency toward social isolation on our bodies and brains” have not received the attention and discussion they deserve, as they are merely blaming smartphones, social media, the Covid pandemic, a decline in trust in society, or everything else. Previously, “although the lack of human interaction has the same significant impact on energy levels as the lack of food,” says business writer Jessica Stillman, in her article on the “INC” website.
Social isolation and loneliness are different
Social isolation and loneliness have affected people of all ages, cultural and economic backgrounds around the world (according to a 2022 review of 113 countries), “and the past few decades have seen a decline in the number of people who report having a close person in their lives.” According to former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in a Harvard Business Review article published in September 2017.
Although the terms “social isolation” and “loneliness” are often used as the same thing, “they are different,” says Dr. Murthy.
Just as a person can “live alone, without feeling lonely or socially isolated,” anyone can also “feel lonely, even when they are with other people.”
Social isolation is “the lack of a number of people to interact with on a regular basis,” while loneliness can occur “even in the presence of social contact.”
Social isolation and loneliness are both bad
According to research, social isolation and loneliness shorten a person's life by up to 15 years. People who suffer from social isolation or loneliness rarely exercise and often do not sleep well, which may increase their risk of stroke (by 32%). %), heart disease (29%), depression (26%), and premature death (26%).
Researchers at the University of California also indicated that being alone most of the time may contribute to a decrease in the ability to perform daily tasks, “as 59% of participants found it difficult to perform tasks such as walking and climbing stairs.” Also, social isolation and loneliness may be bad for brain health, as they are linked to poorer cognitive function and a higher incidence of Alzheimer's (50%).
Isolation is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day
Dr. Murthy explains how social connection is an essential, inherent part of our nervous system, the absence of which causes the stress hormone (cortisol) to rise in the body, thus raising levels of inflammation, which can damage blood vessels, and increase the risk of diabetes, joint disease, depression and obesity.
Murthy warns: “Loneliness and poor social connections are associated with a decrease in life expectancy, and this effect is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and exceeds those effects associated with obesity,” according to a review published in 2010 after collecting data from 148 studies, which included more From 300 thousand people.
Just 8 hours of social isolation has the same effect
Experts have warned that feeling lonely may pose a long-term risk, not only to mental health, but also to physical health. Research published in 2023 shows that “the accumulation of the bad effects of loneliness may not take years to reap its benefits. Rather, just 8 hours of social isolation has the same direct and negative impact on energy levels and mood as spending 8 hours without food.”
Real-world data and laboratory measurements indicate that “our bodies and minds are affected by a lack of social connection in the same way that they are affected by a lack of food.”
“We found striking similarities between social isolation and food deprivation, with both conditions causing decreased energy and increased feelings of fatigue,” study authors Anna Stejovic and Paul Forbes said. If you forget to eat all day, you will find yourself exhausted, angry, and unproductive, which is the same thing that awaits you when you neglect social interaction.
Recommendations to break the vicious circle
To break this vicious cycle, where we find ourselves “antisocial, because we are tired most of the time,” and then feel “tired, because we are antisocial.” Dr. Murthy recommends more human interaction, which can help build healthy relationships and improve energy levels, in 3 steps:
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Building strong, high-quality social connections
Strong social ties are not only about the number of people you know and deal with on a routine basis from time to time, but rather the quality of these connections is what is most important.
You may be surrounded by many people and have thousands of connections on social media, but you still feel lonely. In contrast, you may have a small number of people with whom you interact and feel very connected to them.
Strong, high-quality social bonds should be built on love, informed by kindness and positive emotions that enhance performance and resilience, and characterized by meaningful shared experiences and mutually beneficial relationships, where individuals give and receive.
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Spreading communication, helping others and accepting help from them
Although it may seem illogical to help others when you feel lonely, offering help to others and allowing yourself to receive help from them builds a strong and affirming mutual relationship.
Dr. Murthy emphasizes that offering and receiving help freely “is one of the most tangible ways in which we establish our relationship with each other.”
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Find opportunities to learn about your friends' personal circumstances
True social connections grow stronger when people feel understood and valued as members of society, living healthy lives, as mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and individuals with a passion for communication, and each one of them has the ability to find spaces to engage in personal challenges, “instead of withdrawing into corners of loneliness and anger, and from Then depression and illness,” says Dr. Murthy.