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Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking - US Surgeon General
Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking - US Surgeon General
Sputnik International
The Surgeon General reveals that loneliness is as deadly as smoking cigarettes, and has become a serious health problem in the US.
2023-05-03T00:54+0000
2023-05-03T00:54+0000
2023-05-03T00:50+0000
vivek murthy
health
mental health
loneliness
loneliness
beyond politics
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US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on Tuesday titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” which details what Murthy believes is a widespread public health concern throughout the US.“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death,” writes Murthy in his advisory letter.Loneliness, a report reveals, can increase the risk of premature death by almost 30%. Those who have poor social relationships are also at a greater risk of stroke and heart disease.The advisory references a 2022 study which asked Americans how close they felt to others emotionally, with only 39% of Americans saying they felt very connected to others. Recent surveys also found that half of Americans reported feelings of loneliness, with the highest rates being among young adults.Persons aged 15 to 24 reported a 70% drop in the amount of time they spent with friends in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that same period, most Americans reported 20 minutes a day in person with friends in 2020, down from 60 minutes daily from two decades earlier.A decrease in community involvement also grew. In 1999, 70% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque. That number shrunk to 47% of Americans who were able to say the same in 2020. A 2018 survey found only 16% of Americans reported a strong feeling of attachment to their local community.Technology, such as social media, when used incorrectly can also contribute to a person’s loneliness. In 2022, 95% of teens reported using social media, and the number of US adults using social media in 2019 jumped to 80% from 5% in 2005.However, the advisory also warns that while technology can allow friends and family to connect with each other, it also “displaces in-person engagement, monopolizes our attention, reduces the quality of our interactions, and diminishes our self-esteem.”In fact, one study even found that those who spend two hours or more on social media a day will feel more socially isolated than those who were on the same apps for just 30 minutes a day.Murthy is calling on workplaces, schools, community organizations, health departments, and even technology companies to address the loneliness epidemic in the US. In the meantime, he is encouraging the public to engage more socially by answering the phone when a friend calls or join a community group.
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health, us, surgeon general, loneliness, epidemic
health, us, surgeon general, loneliness, epidemic
Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking - US Surgeon General
A new fight for a healthier America is to tackle the epidemic of… loneliness?
US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an
advisory on Tuesday titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” which details what Murthy believes is a widespread public health concern throughout the US.
“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death,” writes Murthy in his advisory letter.
“The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.”
Loneliness, a report reveals, can increase the risk of premature death by almost 30%. Those who have poor social relationships are also at a greater risk of stroke and heart disease.
The advisory references a 2022 study which asked Americans how close they felt to others emotionally, with only 39% of Americans saying they felt very connected to others. Recent surveys also found that half of Americans reported feelings of loneliness, with the highest rates being among young adults.
Persons aged 15 to 24 reported a 70% drop in the amount of time they spent with friends in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that same period, most Americans reported 20 minutes a day in person with friends in 2020, down from 60 minutes daily from two decades earlier.
A decrease in community involvement also grew. In 1999, 70% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque. That number shrunk to 47% of Americans who were able to say the same in 2020. A 2018 survey found only 16% of Americans reported a strong feeling of attachment to their local community.
“These estimates and multiple other studies indicate that loneliness and isolation are more widespread than many of the other major health issues of our day, including smoking (12.5% of U.S. adults), diabetes (14.7%), and obesity (41.9%),” the advisory warns.
Technology, such as social media, when used incorrectly can also contribute to a person’s loneliness. In 2022, 95% of teens reported using social media, and the number of US adults using social media in 2019 jumped to 80% from 5% in 2005.
However, the advisory also warns that while technology can allow friends and family to connect with each other, it also “displaces in-person engagement, monopolizes our attention, reduces the quality of our interactions, and diminishes our self-esteem.”
In fact, one study even found that those who spend two hours or more on social media a day will feel more socially isolated than those who were on the same apps for just 30 minutes a day.
“There’s really no substitute for in-person interaction,” Murthy said. “As we shifted to use technology more and more for our communication, we lost out on a lot of that in-person interaction. How do we design technology that strengthens our relationships as opposed to weaken them?”
Murthy is calling on workplaces, schools, community organizations, health departments, and even technology companies to address the loneliness epidemic in the US. In the meantime, he is encouraging the public to engage more socially by answering the phone when a friend calls or join a community group.
