Mother Teresa called loneliness the most terrible poverty, associating it with the feeling of not feeling loved.

I do not know if it is the most terrible, it certainly represents much more than a negative feeling and has a major impact on people and society with not even so hidden consequences. In a recent study, also reported in Chris Westfall’s article The Economic Impact Of Loneliness: Office Relationships Vs. Chat GPT in Forbes on 5/30/2023, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, a U.S. surgeon, stated that “the impact of social disconnection on mortality is similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” According to Oxford University researchers, close friendships increase productivity in the workplace. In addition, when it comes to job quality and job satisfaction, relationships come first.

From time immemorial, scholars how social conditions influence human relationships and how these relationships influence health. On June 1, 2023, research on loneliness and social isolation was published in BMC Public Health, to which different characteristics are ascribed: loneliness is defined as a perceived/subjective condition in which an individual is dissatisfied with the quality and/or quantity of his or her social relationships; social isolation is an objective condition characterized by lack of contact with other people and disengagement from social groups and activities.

Empirical studies have indicated that loneliness and social isolation have a similar mortality risk as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and obesity.

According to what was published in the journal Psychology Today on May 30, 2023, about loneliness there are some false myths, which need to be debunked and are now debunked:

  1. The main cause of loneliness is the lack of relationships. It is, more than anything else, the absence of quality social ties that is associated with loneliness. In fact, research shows that preventing feelings of loneliness does not require being part of a large social circle or spending a lot of time with others, but being able to establish and maintain just a couple of healthy, intimate relationships may be enough to satisfy the need for love, esteem and belonging.
  2. It is especially the elderly who suffer from loneliness. According to the research, the relationship between loneliness and age is weak. Only the very old (over 85 years old) experience significantly more loneliness than the general population. In addition, research indicates that a significant percentage of young people report having no friends and that 30 percent of Millennials feel lonely often or always.
  3. Only social misfits feel lonely. In fact, loneliness can also create social misfits-individuals who feel they are not wanted, accepted, understood or appreciated by others or by society in general.

Without necessarily wanting to think badly of technology, as I am a sucker for all that technological development represents if, and I emphasize if, in the service of humanity; however, it is singular that in our Society, in the age of Social, of Communities of all kinds, the loneliness of young people, of people in workplaces, of mothers, children, managers, grandparents… is growing gallopingly.

Isn’t something getting out of hand?

And if the answer, as I believe, is YES, how can we make a change of course? Starting with each person in his or her role, in his or her context, and his or her, small or large, piece of responsibility.

Thank you for reading. My purpose in life is to follow my inspirations by being myself in doing the things I believe in every day to give value. If you liked this article and think it may be helpful to others please like and/or comment. Share it with your network.

Thank you 🙂

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