Is loneliness and social isolation a serious health problem in this country?

[jared2]

I believe it is, ranking with smoking and obesity as one of the top health problems in this and other countries. More and more people are living alone without family or a social network. They must feel especially lonely at Christmas time. Why are so many people living alone and socially isolated? What suggestions could you make for anyone in this situation?

[huskers]

First of all, there is a difference between being alone and loneliness. Some people prefer to be alone. 2nd, we no longer have the extended family living close together. The (and I hate to use the word) traditional family is gone in many cases. We are a mobil society and with high divorce rates our family trees have become bushes. Good or bad...who knows...it is the way it is.It is not the 50s anymore and Leave It To Beaver has been cancelled. Happy Holidays !!!

[jared2]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 19 2006, 10:19 AM) [snapback]364133[/snapback]</div>

First of all, there is a difference between being alone and loneliness. Some people prefer to be alone. 2nd, we no longer have the extended family living close together. The (and I hate to use the word) traditional family is gone in many cases. We are a mobil society and with high divorce rates our family trees have become bushes. Good or bad...who knows...it is the way it is.It is not the 50s anymore and Leave It To Beaver has been cancelled. Happy Holidays !!!
[/b]

1. I would suspect that about 99% of people who live alone are lonely
2. Societies that still have the extended family (for example India, China) have much lower rates of metal illness.
3. Divorce rates are high - yes, but why? Why could our parents stay together long enough to raise kids and we can't?
4. Mobility - this is right. My family is in the U.S., Canada and China.
5. Traditional family. Yes, but as I said, there are many kinds of families and those living in them are not living alone.
6. Does anyone here live alone and really love it?

[hybridTHEvibe]

I agree with huskers.
I am not sure how living alone and being happy about it impacts one's health.

[hybridTHEvibe]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Dec 19 2006, 10:28 AM) [snapback]364134[/snapback]</div>

1. I would suspect that about 99% of people who live alone are lonely
2. Societies that still have the extended family (for example India, China) have much lower rates of metal illness.
3. Divorce rates are high - yes, but why? Why could our parents stay together long enough to raise kids and we can't?
4. Mobility - this is right. My family is in the U.S., Canada and China.
5. Traditional family. Yes, but as I said, there are many kinds of families and those living in them are not living alone.
6. Does anyone here live alone and really love it?
[/b]

2. How is the mental illness determined in those societies? What is considered a mental illness in our society vs. other societies?
3. I think we could if we forced ourselves.
6. I know quite a few people.

[Proco]

The biggest suggestion I could give anyone who is feeling lonely or isolated is to keep trying. When you're lonely, it's extremely hard to put yourself out there, but you have to. Get involved in activities where you can meet people. Go to church, join a bowling league, take a class, something. Professional help shouldn't be ruled out, either. If you're so lonely that it's paralyzing, then there's probably a deeper problem that needs to be addressed. One that no number of Brooklyn strikes will cure.

As for why there seems to be more social isolation today than years ago, I think it comes from us being a far more mobile society. The whole idea of commuting to work by car(if Disney's Carousel of Progress can be believed) didn't really exist until the 40s. Then we started moving farther and farther from home.

It doesn't help that a lot of popular technology gives us ways to isolate ourselves:

• The computer allows you to "connect" with people, but never actually meet them.
• iPods (that bastard child of the Walkman) allows you to shut other people out.
• PlayStations (and other videogames) keep us inside on our cans when we could be meeting people.
• Cell phones allow us to walk around having conversations while ignoring the people around us.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 19 2006, 10:19 AM) [snapback]364133[/snapback]</div>

First of all, there is a difference between being alone and loneliness. Some people prefer to be alone.[/b]

True ... some people do prefer to be alone. But some people also say they prefer to be alone when the reality is they're screaming for human connection.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Dec 19 2006, 10:28 AM) [snapback]364134[/snapback]</div>

3. Divorce rates are high - yes, but why? Why could our parents stay together long enough to raise kids and we can't?[/b]

I wouldn't necessarily use the fact that previous generations stayed together as proof of anything. In many cases, it would have been better if the parents had divorced rather than staying together. I agree that people do seem to be more willing to just throw in the towel at the slightest sign of trouble these days. But they also seem to be a lot less willing to put up with being treated poorly.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hybridTHEvibe @ Dec 19 2006, 10:32 AM) [snapback]364135[/snapback]</div>

I agree with huskers.
I am not sure how living alone and being happy about it impacts one's health.
[/b]

Studies have shown that people who live alone have greater health risks. The most important thing if a person lives alone is that they have some kind of support network they can rely on. That's more important than if someone lives alone or not.

[jared2]

"The biggest suggestion I could give anyone who is feeling lonely or isolated is to keep trying."

I agree. Your life can be completely transformed very quickly if you meet the right person.

[josemedina]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Dec 19 2006, 11:09 AM) [snapback]364129[/snapback]</div>

I believe it is, ranking with smoking and obesity as one of the top health problems in this and other countries. More and more people are living alone without family or a social network. They must feel especially lonely at Christmas time. Why are so many people living alone and socially isolated? What suggestions could you make for anyone in this situation?
[/b]

Having a family is important to me and I could not imagine not have some type of family. I do have a church family also that I hold very dear to my heart. I belong to a very large Lutheran Church that just grabs a hold of you and shows the love of Jesus. Check out www.concordialutheranchurch.com and join us for a very special Christmas that will warm your heart.

Merry Christmas from San Antonio, Texas

[hybridTHEvibe]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ Dec 19 2006, 10:44 AM) [snapback]364139[/snapback]</div>

Studies have shown that people who live alone have greater health risks. The most important thing if a person lives alone is that they have some kind of support network they can rely on. That's more important than if someone lives alone or not.
[/b]

I haven't really looked and I am not saying you are wrong, but can you point me to those studies? thanks

[Stev0]

I don't have any kids, so when my wife passed away last year, I suddenly found myself alone. And since I usually work from home, I often go a day or two without actually speaking to anyone (or just talking to people on the phone).

However, I am not lonely. I "talk" to you folks on this and other boards every day. I do volunteer work and socialize with other people there. I don't have a lot of friends, but I have enough so that when I want to be with real, live people, someone is always there.

And I have my cat.

So I'm not lonely; in fact, I'm probably happier with my lifestyle than most people are; I have the best of both worlds - I have as much "space" as I possibly want (and I'm the type who usually needs a LOT of "my own space"), yet I can be with people whenever I want.

Of course it helps that I'm healthy and financially well off.