Loneliness poses risks as deadly as smoking: surgeon general

[pmbug]

Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic.
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The declaration is intended to raise awareness around loneliness but won’t unlock federal funding or programming devoted to combatting the issue.
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Loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%, with the report revealing that those with poor social relationships also had a greater risk of stroke and heart disease. Isolation also elevates a person’s likelihood for experiencing depression, anxiety and dementia, according to the research. ...

Loneliness poses risks as deadly as smoking: surgeon general

The U.S. surgeon general says loneliness poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually. Dr. Vivek Murthy's report issued Tuesday says about half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness. The surgeon general is...

apnews.com

 

[searcher]

Gyms, churches, bars / social clubs, senior centers, group nature walks, group dinners...............no need for anyone to really be lonely. Get out there and meet peeps.

 

[Goldhedge]

If you want to start fishin for a good time... you got to start fishin by throwin in yer line!

 

[Viking]

Federal funds should be spent to combat this. Import single/widowed UkrainIan women to my neighborhood would be a good start. I have extra rooms too.

 

[Goldhedge]

Federal funds should be spent to combat this. Import single/widowed UkrainIan women to my neighborhood would be a good start. I have extra rooms too.

By request!

 

[nickndfl]

Anybody who gets lonely these days and has an active life has not met enough assh*les. It only take one or two big ones to make a person get disgusted of most others.

Get a cat.

 

[searcher]

The AI revolution is going to make America's loneliness crisis even worse​

Americans are trapped in a loneliness epidemic. Across the country, people are having fewer social interactions, spending more time alone, and reporting fewer close friends. These trends aren't just a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic — while the last few years may have accelerated the loneliness crisis, the shift toward a more solitary life has been happening for years.

A new report from the US surgeon general finds that social activities of all kinds have declined, and it compared the health impact of this increasing loneliness to smoking 12 cigarettes a day. My own research found that Americans are in the throes of a "friendship recession" with people reporting smaller social circles and fewer close friends. This rising tide of isolation is particularly acute among young people: The time that Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 spend with friends has declined considerably over the past two decades, according to the surgeon general's report, from an average of 2.5 hours a day to just 40 minutes.

Read the rest:

The AI revolution is going to make America's loneliness crisis even worse

 

[Goldhedge]

 

[searcher]

Loneliness in an A.I.-Driven World | Rachels Don't Run | The New Yorker Screening Room​

Aug 2, 2023

14:42

In Joanny Causse’s short film, a customer-support agent at an A.I. companionship service impersonates an artificial dream girl to chat with a caller for whom she’s developed feelings.

 

[searcher]

Loneliness Isn’t Just Bad for Your Health—It’s Deadly​

If you think canceling plans is always good self-care, you might want to think again. People who keep an active social calendar not only enjoy a better quality of life—they could also stave off an early trip to the grave.

Loneliness and social isolation were linked to an increased risk of death from any cause, according to new research. That includes missing out on seeing loved ones, not having weekly group activities like a book club, or just often feeling lonely.

“Just like we need to make time in our busy lives to be physically active, we need to make time in our busy lives to be socially active,” said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, director of the Social Connection & Health Lab at Brigham Young University, who wasn’t involved in the report.

More:

Loneliness Isn’t Just Bad for Your Health—It’s Deadly

People who report often feeling lonely or being socially isolated are at an increased risk of death from any cause, new research suggests.

www.wsj.com

 

[searcher]

Interesting take on aloneness.

From the link (you'll have to scroll down a little bit) :

Aloneness​

I’ve been thinking about aloneness recently. Well, I’ve been thinking about it my whole life. It’s difficult to remember a time where I didn’t feel alone or apart or “on my own.” And I’ve spent the majority of my adult life — from 17 onward — living mostly alone, going to bed alone, and waking up alone. Left to my own volition to somehow transmute that aloneness into forward momentum, “output,” (“content” ha ha) and positive habits.

Aloneness sucks. It’s insidious and becomes habitual. It’s rapacious. It saps the spirit. It twists a peaceful dude all truculent and paranoid. It renders decision making oddly cumbersome. It’s more difficult to feel elevated as a human when swaddled in aloneness. Self-worth plummets as aloneness rises.

Tokyo Walk, TBOT Cover, Aloneness — Roden newsletter issue 086

Notes on aloneness vs. solitude

craigmod.com

 

[searcher]

The case for inviting everyone to everything​

In a time when loneliness is more pervasive than ever, why not extend an invitation?

When a friend from college told Melissa Chan that he was coming to visit her in New York City, she was thrilled. It was 2018; she hadn’t seen him in four years, when they had studied abroad in Vienna together. “I was like, ‘Okay, this is a big deal. Let me throw you a party,’” Chan remembers. This friend didn’t know anyone in New York, but that didn’t matter. Chan invited a bunch of her friends, and told them all her usual encouragement to “just bring whoever.” Leading up to the party, her friend mentioned that he had chatted a lot with the two young people in his row on the flight over. “He was like, ‘Oh, is it weird if I invite them to the party?’ And I was like, ‘No, no, that’d be so fun.’”

And it was fun. Having two strangers who were totally unconnected from anyone, save for the serendipitous flight seating plan, made for a great icebreaker, and it sparked a lot of dynamic conversation. Although Chan didn’t keep in touch with the pair, she and her visiting friend remember that night fondly. It sort of encapsulated Chan’s general philosophy when it comes to parties and socializing: Be free and easy with your invitations. “When there’s more of a melting pot at an event, it’s just a more interesting environment and way more conducive to diverse conversations and making new friends,” she says.

More:

The case for inviting everyone to everything

In a time when loneliness is more pervasive than ever, why not extend an invitation?

www.vox.com

 

[Goldhedge]

One could say the same for "Help from the government"...

 

[searcher]

Loneliness is a global epidemic. It's time to take it seriously.​

Dec 24, 2023
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy used to talk about loneliness as a public health crisis. Now he says it's an epidemic that urgently needs our attention. The World Health Organization agrees with him. Now as co-chair of its newly appointed Commission on Social Connections, Dr. Murthy has an even bigger platform from which to advocate for change, encouraging us to reach out and ask for help while also offering it to others who may need it. He joins The Excerpt to talk about why this problem is so persistent and what we can do to fix it.


13:33

 

[Casey Jones]

Loneliness is a global epidemic. It's time to take it seriously.

What we need is more NPC Social Justice Warriors, getting in my schitt for Pronoun Abuse.

Some moar transvestites coming onto the wrong sex, might help, too.

And, all the mediuh gaslighting. Nothing cheers me up like endless transparent propaganda, except maybe being surrounded by eager subjects repeating the Bullet Points like shibboleths.

Bottom line is, it's the Liberal Utopia that is isolating us from others.

It is what it is. You find a way to deal with it, or you take the gas pipe.

 

[Ragnarok]

Loneliness poses risks as deadly as smoking: surgeon general

The U.S. surgeon general says loneliness poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually. Dr. Vivek Murthy's report issued Tuesday says about half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness. The surgeon general is...

apnews.com

Well, that would be me now, took care of Mama until she went Home, wanted to buy my two sisters out of their part of the house but both said no, so now I’m sitting here in a mobile home park where I don’t kiw any of my neighbors and everyone I still know moved out of state or is far away.

R.

 

[pmbug]

Well, that would be me now, took care of Mama until she went Home, ...

Condolences. Life can be such a rollercoaster. Hope you hit the upswing soon.

 

[Goldhedge]

Loneliness is a global epidemic. It's time to take it seriously.

Probably causes myocarditis and sudden death too...

Well, that would be me now, took care of Mama until she went Home, wanted to buy my two sisters out of their part of the house but both said no, so now I’m sitting here in a mobile home park where I don’t kiw any of my neighbors and everyone I still know moved out of state or is far away.

R.

Time to

A. Pack up and move to where your people are, and/or
B. Go to a food kitchen and volunteer to serve folks less fortunate than you.
C. Learn to dance! I'd start with a local 'Contra Dance' crowd. It's more fun than you can have with your clothes on. Find in your area.
D. Gravitate to a pickleball community and learn the game! It's an inviting crowd. Join a local club. They're EVERYWHERE.

 

[searcher]

^^^^^^^
Gyms, non-denominational churches, firehouse / church dinners, hobbie clubs - all good places to meet peeps.

If you need something to do to keep busy - free online courses are good. https://www.coursera.org/

The food kitchen is a good idea. Be surprised the interesting people you can meet in one.

@Ragnarok - I hope 2024 is a good year for you.

 

[searcher]

Probably causes myocarditis and sudden death too...

I don't know anything about this stuff, but in some cases lonely people have been known to off themselves. Maybe something to do with feeling life isn't worth living?

 

[searcher]

Being Alone vs Toxic Families: Which one is Worse​

Dec 27, 2023


9:53

 

[searcher]

Posting as a little food for thought.

A new study has found that children growing up in low-income families have fewer opportunities to make friends and to socially integrate at school. Researchers from the University of Zurich and the University of Stockholm examined data from over 200 school classes in Sweden and reached this conclusion.

Newswise — Having friends at school is important for adolescents’ development and it shapes their social skills later in life. Teenagers who feel well integrated in their school class have better mental health and higher grades – which has a knock-on effect on their later careers.

Poorer youth have fewer friends.

School friendships crucial for teen development, impacting mental health, grades, and future careers.

www.newswise.com