Loneliness is a dark place that all of us have experienced at one point or the other. Craving meaningful social connections is usual for people dealing with loneliness.
Loneliness and social isolation can have dire impacts on a person’s mental and physical health, and that is why the World Health Organisation is now seeking experts to form a technical advisory group in an attempt to reposition them as a public health concern.
Social Isolation Is A Public Health Concern
Talking to the team of OnlyMyHealth, Dr Neerja Aggarwal, PhD Psychologist, Emoneeds, said, “Human beings are social creatures. They have a biological predisposition to seek meaningful social connections. When a person experiences social isolation, which can also mean a lack of meaningful social engagement despite being surrounded by people, it can be detrimental to their mental health and increase their vulnerability to depression and cognitive decline.”
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‘Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health,’ said Dr Vivek H Murthy, Surgeon General, United States Department of Health and Human Services in his 2023 advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. He shared how loneliness has the potential to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. In fact, the risk of death from health-related consequences of loneliness is equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day or dealing with obesity and complete physical inactivity.
The Centres For Diseases Control And Prevention (CDC) cited a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which informed that more than one-third of adults above the age of 45 feel lonely, and nearly 25% of adults who are 65 or older are socially isolated.
WHO’s Technical Advisory Group On Social Connection
In its call for experts, WHO stated that social isolation and loneliness pose 25-33% increased chances of mortality. Hence, it is forming the ‘Technical Advisory Group on Social Connection,’ to ‘increase the political visibility and priority of the issue; to reposition it as a genuine global public health problem that affects all regions around the world and all age groups.’
Also Read: Do You Live Alone? Study Suggests It Can Increase Your Risk Of Dying From Cancer
The group will consist of 20 members who will advise the WHO secretariat on the impact that social connection has on health and society. The group will perform the following tasks:
- Increasing awareness and the importance of addressing social isolation to establish it as a genuine public health problem that affects all ages across the world.
- Developing and implementing the ‘Global Index on Social Connection’ globally.
- Identifying effective methods to tackle social isolation and loneliness.
- Forming an online media strategy to create awareness about the impact of social isolation and loneliness.
Concluding his advice on tackling loneliness, Dr Aggarwal shared that self-care is the key to improving mental health and dealing with isolation. Participating in activities that bring you joy, fulfilment, and calmness can be extremely helpful. Taking initiative from your end is crucial till the health watchdogs of the world catch up to combat the perils of loneliness and social isolation.
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