Madeline J. Robertson, J.D., M.D.
Dedicated to my inspiring friend and mentor “Tib” Elizabeth Sherrill (February 14, 1928 ~ May 20, 2023)
Always bright and beautiful;
And to my dear children who live far away; I miss them very much
Introduction: There is Good Reason for Hope
Scientists are seeking insights and strategies to alleviate loneliness because it has become an epidemic. Most people feel lonely sometimes. When we feel isolated or disconnected from meaningful relationships, we feel lonely. Being alone does not cause loneliness. From experience we know that we may feel lonely in a crowd, or content when alone. This blog reports on what really works based on scientific studies on loneliness.
The Impact of Loneliness on Health
Loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, according to the Surgeon General of the United States. Scientists have studied thousands of people who report feeling lonely. They die younger than people who don’t feel lonely. Their outcomes from most chronic diseases are worse. Diseases they studied include Alzheimer’s; obesity; heart disease; high blood pressure; lowered immunity; alcoholism; anxiety; depression; and suicide. In sum, loneliness doesn’t just feel bad. Loneliness makes it more likely that we will get physically ill. If left untreated or unresolved, loneliness can kill. COVID social restrictions have increased feelings of loneliness. That’s the bad news.
Based on the Most Current Scientific Sources
The good news is that scientists are exploring ways to help those feeling lonely who cannot do much to change their circumstances that are the source of their loneliness. They have published more than 11,000 articles on loneliness. Who has time to read all that? Who can understand scientific literature and make it understandable? Well, I can find and explain those articles that could be most useful for you.
What is the Source of Your Information?
The articles I select to summarize here are from the database, PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. The National Center for Biotechnology at the National Library of Medicine maintains it. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. PubMed is a resource supporting the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature with the aim of improving health–both globally and personally. As you know, anyone can publish “advice” on the Internet, regardless of whether that is based on facts or science. The scientific studies I discuss are current. In contrast, ChatGTP does not have access to the internet or scientific databases.
Why is Your Information More Reliable?
This blog is different. The articles that I will highlight for your review have all been peer reviewed prior to publication. “Peer reviewed” means that before a journal publishes an article, the draft submission is sent to reputable and independent scientists in the field for evaluation. “Peer” scientists reject research of poor quality, and high quality research tends to be published in “higher quality journals.” I am well suited for this endeavor, in part because I have published numerous articles reporting collaborative research on public health issues, specifically “social determinants of health.” (See list on my CV attached to my LinkedIn page.)
The Focus of this Series Is On Strategies to Lessen Loneliness, Even If the Source of Your Loneliness Is Not Within Your Control
Many Situations that Cause Loneliness Are Outside Your Control
In this series, we will focus on effective ways to alleviate the suffering of loneliness in yourself and in others, even if you cannot change your current situation. Perhaps you have lost a spouse or dear friend, or you have become disabled, or you have traveled to a new city for a job; or your dear children grow up and move away. There are many situations in which, through no fault of our own, we suffer from losses in our important relationships that we feel we will never replace. Maybe we cannot, but there is reason for hope in what we are learning about loneliness in science.
Many Individuals, Many Strategies
Bear in mind that no one strategy for dealing with loneliness fits all. In each different situation, more than one strategy may be effective and some may not be applicable at all. So in each scientific article that I summarize for you, I am careful to identify important characteristics about who the study subjects are. If you feel that you might be like them, you can try out what they did that lessened their feelings of loneliness. You can judge for yourself whether that helps you or someone you care for. If you would like to measure your progress, you can do so by filling out one of the loneliness scales that scientists use before and after the intervention. https://fetzer.org/sites/default/files/images/stories/pdf/selfmeasures/Self_Measures_for_Loneliness_and_Interpersonal_Problems_UCLA_LONELINESS_REVISED.pdf. If you would like to share your results with me, please send them to [email protected].
Some Examples of What You Can Learn From This Series
Some examples of things that you will read about in this series on how to decrease feelings of loneliness include: (1) decreasing social media use in children and young adults; (2) increasing social media access and use for the disabled and elderly; (3) how different types of social media can increase or decrease loneliness; (4) why some types of humor alleviate loneliness while others types make it worse; (5) the use of “Social Prescribing” by health care providers in the UK, and the positive impact this has had on physical diseases; (6) special considerations for different populations, for example, for those with mental illnesses and those in rural areas, and much more.
Scientists consider many factors when tailoring interventions. These include (1) sociodemographic factors i.e. age, poverty, being a care giver; (2) the social environment i.e. access to transport, driving status and place or resident; (3) physical and mental health. I will address the needs of less well-researched groups as information becomes available. These groups include: (1) individuals with physical disabilities; (2) ethnic minority groups; (3) caregivers; (4) recent immigrants; (5) individuals with hearing and visual impairments; and (6) those who have been isolated for a long time.
I seek to explain all scientific terms within the blog itself. If something remains unclear, please refer to the Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations. If you find that your curiosity is still not satisfied, please send me an email with your questions. Your feedback will be appreciated. Please send your comments and questions to [email protected].
#Loneliness; #Scientific; #Interventions; #Minorities; #Elderly; #Caregivers; #Disabled; #Aging; #Parents; #Humor; #ScientificStudies; #MentalHealth; #PhysicalHealth; #SocialIsolation; #Strategies; #SocialPrescribing; #SpecialPopulations
Madeline J. Robertson, J.D., M.D.
Solutions for Reversing the Loneliness Epidemic — Founder, President & CEO at Here With You, Inc.