Have you ever thought that you could be facing the detrimental effects of smoking without engaging in active or even passive smoking? The US Surgeon General has revealed that the effects of loneliness can be equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Social isolation has been linked to a 29% increase in the risk of heart disease, a 32% increase in the risk of stroke and a shortened life span. This public health issue has alarmed governments and psychologists alike. The crisis has prompted the formation of international commissions and entire loneliness ministries in the U.K. and Japan. The government should approach mental health crises just as it would a threat to physical health because the policies implemented, or the lack of them, directly contribute to the loneliness epidemic.
The Medical Reality of Social Isolation
The consensus on loneliness attributes it to seniors, but research has found its age distribution to be non-linear. Although older adults are at a higher risk of isolation, it can affect people of all ages, and young adults are more likely to report being lonely than 65+ individuals. For older-aged individuals, chronic loneliness and social isolation increase mortality rates by up to 29%, 68% risk of hospitalisation, 50% risk of developing dementia, and a 20% quicker decline in cognitive abilities. In the case of young adults, it doubles the chances of developing depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation & behaviour. Children and adolescents who experience isolation face an increased risk of depression and anxiety that can persist for up to nine years. These statistics underscore the scope of the loneliness epidemic and why public health officials should be increasingly concerned.
Replacing Connection With Consumption
In history, the global community has never been as crowded or connected as it is today. No matter where we are in the world, we are always a couple of clicks away from our family and friends. Better yet, we can make new friends and join communities of people online through a Reddit thread on a TV show or a Facebook group for fans of a sports team. And yet an increasing number of people across multiple age groups are reporting that they are lonely. Between 1976 & 2019, an increasing number of young adults have reported being lonely. Young adults and teens are the largest demographic of social media users. And while technology can be a route for connection, the current trends suggest it often contributes to increased isolation and loneliness in this demographic.
Social media algorithms bring high engagement and constant connectivity that are almost addictive. High screen times mean less time is spent on in-person connections and a reduction in face-to-face interactions. One study estimated that for ages 15 to 24, time spent in-person with friends decreased by nearly 70% between 2003 and 2020 (dropping from roughly 150 minutes per day to just 40 minutes). Online spaces build unproductive connections embodied in parasocial relationships (one-sided relationships with digital personas), cyberbullying and online harassment linked to increased loneliness, relationship problems, and lower self-esteem for both the victims and harassers.
Social media apps and their addictive algorithms are free because constant engagement of the user is the product. By 2022, an alarming 95% of teenagers report using social media, and more than half found it difficult to let go of. Such statistics are a direct consequence of a lack of a regulatory body on social media use, and especially short-form video content. Social media’s role should not be ignored when aiming to address the loneliness epidemic.
The Erosion of Social Infrastructure
Urban planning and landscape architecture vary from culture to culture and geography to geography, but whatever it looks like, the layout of the city has a significant effect on the people in the surroundings. If it’s car-centric and hostile, it diminishes the opportunity of seeing an old friend while walking down the street. The lack of third spaces reduces human life in between work or school and home. Parks, town squares, libraries and playgrounds bring people together and increase the chances of person-to-person interaction. Similarly, the lack of safe, accessible and affordable transportation systems can act as a barrier to human connection. States should actively use urban design to tackle the loneliness epidemic, as it has been found that perceived social inclusivity of public spaces is associated with a 21% decrease in loneliness. The US surgeon general also emphasised the strengthening of social infrastructure by designing built environments that intentionally promote social connection.
The Decline of Communities
The social fabric at its core depends on lively communities. The decline of traditional communities such as religious groups and gatherings, labour unions, and clubs has deteriorated their functions. No Facebook group can replicate the feeling of belonging one gets from passion for a common cause. At the same time, the emergence of the gig economy and remote work has further isolated individuals from society at large. Strict working hours and the cost-of-living crisis leave no leisure time for social or community participation. In such cases, shorter work hours or weeks might be considered.
The ministries of loneliness have only been established in the U.K. and Japan but have already decided to collaborate on their efforts to fight loneliness. WHO estimates that it is a global crisis affecting one in six people and leads to over 871,000 annual deaths, which calls for a global spotlight on the matter and multilateral action in tackling this issue. Although most states may not have the funds to establish an entirely new ministry, they should dedicate special units within the health ministry to address this epidemic head-on. The causes and solutions of loneliness are multifaceted, but the remedy lies increasingly in mindfulness of the spaces and positions we occupy, our human connections and communities.