This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, an initiative organised every year by the Mental Health Foundation. This year\u2019s theme is loneliness.<\/p>\n
Loneliness is recognised as a psychological phenomenon which is occurring increasingly in modern society.\u00a0 However, most people would be shocked to learn that it is a major public health issue which is a factor that leads to premature death.<\/p>\n
Research has shown that a person is at the same risk of premature death if they are experiencing stress from loneliness as if they smoke 15 cigarettes a day. Other research has shown that loneliness is a greater predictor of premature death than obesity.<\/p>\n
The Covid 19 crisis brought lockdowns and enforced social isolation. Many people are still feeling the effects of this and dealing with more acute, negative feelings of loneliness.<\/p>\n
Why does being alone trigger deep negative emotions for human beings?\u00a0 Humans are intrinsically social animals.\u00a0 Going back to the roots of human society, being part of the group or the tribe helped guarantee survival against threats.\u00a0 Being alone was therefore something to be feared.\u00a0 Feelings of loneliness trigger our fight\/flight reaction, which means our bodies release adrenaline and cortisol.\u00a0 This makes us feel agitated and anxious and can eventually lead to chronic physical health problems and diseases.\u00a0 Psychologically, perhaps even linked to physiologically, loneliness is akin to feeling hunger or thirst; it stimulates us to rectify a situation which is a threat to our health and safety \u2013 in this case, not being part of a group, because there is safety in numbers.<\/p>\n
There is evidence to show that living alongside others means that any signs of physical or mental health problems that a person may manifest will be picked up quicker and lead to treatment sooner.\u00a0 Also, acute medical emergencies, like heart attacks or strokes, can be easily missed when a person lives alone, and this can result in early death.<\/p>\n
Loneliness has become such an important public health issue that the Government has produced a strategy to alleviate the problems associated with it.\u00a0 It uses data produced by the Office of National Statistics to inform policy and action.\u00a0 Links to information related to both forms of activity can be found below.<\/p>\n
We can be alone without being lonely.\u00a0 It is how we feel about being alone that determines the intensity of the negative or positive reaction.\u00a0 If we are happy on our own, we don\u2019t perceive it to be dangerous or sad and we don\u2019t trigger the fight\/flight response.\u00a0 If we feel sad about being alone, then it stimulates the stress response.\u00a0 However, few of us like a completely solitary existence.\u00a0 Follow the links below to learn more about loneliness and what you can do, if you wish, to feel more connected with others.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mental Health Awareness Week 09-15 May 2022: Loneliness<\/a><\/p>\n Campaign to End Loneliness Website<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Loneliness\u2019<\/a>; Royal College of Nursing website<\/p>\n \u2018Feeling Lonely\u2019<\/a>; NHS website<\/p>\n \u2018Loneliness<\/a>\u2019; MIND website<\/p>\n \u2018Loneliness Annual Report 2022\u2019<\/a> HM Government<\/p>\n \u2018Loneliness – What characteristics and circumstances are associated with feeling lonely?<\/a>\u2019 Office of National Statistics<\/p>\n \u20187 Types of Loneliness, and Why It Matters\u2019<\/a> by Gretchen Rubin on Psychology Today website<\/p>\n \u2018Feeling Lonely? Discover 18 Ways to Overcome Loneliness\u2019<\/a> by Tchiki Davis on Psychology Today website<\/p>\n \u2018Alone in the crowd \u2013 How loneliness affects the mind and body\u2019<\/a>; Nuffield Health on YouTube<\/p>\n \u2018Can You Die of Loneliness?<\/a>\u2019; The Infographics Show on YouTube<\/p>\n