A New Epidemic is Sprouting an Ugly Head

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At the height of the pandemic, I wrote a blog on ‘loneliness.’ Many of my readers responded personally after reading it and I have since noticed an increase in people wanting to discuss the effects of loneliness in their spiritual lives.

It seems we are not done with learning about loneliness, and the depression through which it invades our lives. In fact, many psychologists and medical professionals claim it is increasing since the pandemic and increasing with amazing alacrity among all generations. I recall mentioning in that post that England established a Department to Address Loneliness thus able to funnel government funds for programs and organizations that help those who qualify. 

We often think of suicide as the indicator of loneliness. But according to many researchers, much of loneliness is not as clinical as suicide appears to be. Most who are afflicted with loneliness do not entertain suicide although some do. It might be a good guess to say that not all lonely people attempt suicide although loneliness is part of every suicide. And, according to Dr. Stephanie Cacioppo, a behavioral neuroscientist, loneliness “is a biological signal that tells us there is something wrong in our social environment.”

Whatever is ‘wrong’ can be the result of too much social media, not enough personal interactions. Or too much distraction away from people, especially those we care for, and thus a depletion of encouragement and fun with others. In other words, we can bring on the loneliness we feel. Worst of all, is the loneliness we experience which is not an objective state, but rather a subjective experience of “distress at one’s perceived lack of social connections. That can be true whether you’re alone most of the time or at the center of a dance floor,” write journalists Cummins and Zaleski in a recent article in The New York Times. “You’re lonely because the set of relationships you have is not meeting your expectations,” says Dr. Daniel Russell in the same article.  

The results can be devastating. Research shows that “a lonely brain is transformed meaning that neurotransmitters important for bonding and social networking go haywire.” Without going into complex detail here, we can assert as Surgeon General Vivek Murthy reports, loneliness is at epidemic proportions now and can be one of the most potent causes of dementia and heart disease. Doctors are encouraged, according to a report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, to inquire of patients who see them for medical issues to ask if the patients ever feel lonely. From there suggestions can be made for cognitive interventions or mindfulness therapy. But we need to remember, loneliness will never be cured, only treated.

Reflection

Which brings us to the role of faith and ministry to lonely people. Dr. Cacioppo recommends helping people change their over reliance on social media, particularly among young people, who, paradoxically, become disconnected from other humans because of social media. Be proactive with family or friends who seem lonely and find ways to support them. Plan exercising with friends, attending fun entertainment, finding an interest someone might have and sharing in it. Doctor Murthy says, “this is medicine hiding in plain sight.”

If you are concerned about your own loneliness, spend time each day reaching out to people you care about. Check on co-workers. Introduce yourself to neighbors. You can think of many ways to reduce the loneliness of others as well as your own from your own vantage point. Bear in mind that loneliness should not be confused with ‘aloneness.’ When someone expresses a desire to be alone for work or prayer or creativity, we need to respect this and seek to support them for such efforts. Loneliness is far more deleterious to the human soul than quality alone time. As mentioned above, it can transform the brain into a glob of insecurity and depression. God does not want this. After all, Genesis so deftly tells us: “God did not want the human to be alone.”    

Perhaps we could seriously reflect on who might be lonely in our lives right now and might need our support to bring them into the joie de vivre we are made for. Perhaps we might personally need to change something in our lives to be less lonely as well.

“But experts hope to help millions of Americans find their way back to one another. (Dr. Cacioppo says) ‘We are each other’s key to a long and healthy life. We need to be accountable for the well-being of our friends and teammates and others.’” 

I continue to pray for all of my readers, and I often wonder who you are and how you live the life God has given you. And I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer even while adjusting to extreme weather or looking forward now to the opening of the school year.