From the stone age to the era of smart machines, loneliness is a feeling that continually challenges human beings. Expressed in different cultures and artistic media, it is the essence of the existence of naive Amélie Poulainthe rejected macabea in “The Time of the Star”, the shipwrecked Chuck Noland, played by Tom Hanks, and the billionaire Bruce Wayne, who transforms into Batman.
However, the feeling of isolation, even surrounded by people, has become a public health problem. As recent investigations demonstrate, loneliness can get sick to humans, literally. The Social Connection Commission of the World Health Organization (WHO) He has just given the alarm. In a recently published report, the organization reveals that almost 20 % of the world population considers that they live in solitude.
This wide group is more vulnerable to a series of risks, ranging from heart attacks and accidents to alcoholism and suicidal ideas. Every year, more than 870,000 deaths are related to this problem worldwide. A paradox for an era in which humanity has never been so connected, at least virtually.
The WHO group was formed two years ago, a period in which a large part of society had already resumed physical contact, previously restricted during the most critical moments of the Covid-19 pandemic. He concluded that, although the new crisis does not imply a virus, it is also an epidemic. The survey offers a snapshot of a complex context, marked by cultural patterns, social pressures and accelerated technological change. And, due to its repercussions on physical and mental well -being, this scenario demands immediate action that goes far beyond individual initiatives.
“It is estimated that loneliness is linked to 100 deaths every hour, that is, more than 871,000 deaths per year. Strong social connections can lead to better health and a longer life,” says the report.
“Disconnection is a serious threat to world health, which contributes to a higher risk of disease and premature death, as well as social and economic costs,” says WHO general director, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO, says, WHO, Tedros adhanom ghebreyesus, In the prologue of the document. “The rapid demographic and technological transformations are transforming the way we live, work and interact.”
Paradoxes. At least, contradictory that people feel more alone in the midst of the current ease of connection. After all, you can contact everyone with a click practically at any time. And the situation becomes even more alarming when it is taken into account that, according to the report, young people aged 13 to 19 are the most affected by isolation.
There are a set of factors that lead to the increase in loneliness as the 21st century progresses, from the appreciation of a more independent and individualistic lifestyle to changes in family habits; For example, less and fewer parents and children watch television together. In addition to cell phones, another factor that explains this phenomenon is the loss of empathy and patience that nourishes any relationship.
“There is a wide range of connections, but people cannot tolerate frustration and discomfort in relationships with others,” says the psychiatrist Thiago Antonelli-Salgado.
However, face to face interaction is as essential as food and water. “Superficial relationships are like a snack: they satisfy the desire to connect, but do not satisfy our human need for social interaction,” adds the specialist.
It is not surprising that different branches of science are exploring the causes and effects of loneliness. In this sense, experts strive to distinguish loneliness from social isolation. While the first refers to a subjective state of disconnection, including nearby people, the second is related to the lack of contact with other people and can even be measured objectively.
In addition, it must be taken into account that not every absence of a company is harmful. Experts value the notion of loneliness: time alone to discover oneself. “It is a state that we can choose and that can be deeply reparative,” says the psychiatrist Brendan KellyProfessor of the Trinity College of Dublin (Ireland).
The WHO report shows that the feeling of loneliness affects people of all ages, especially young people and who live in low and medium entering countries. Between 17 % and 21 % of people between 13 and 29 years old have declared feeling alone, with the highest rates among adolescents. Around 24 % of the people from entering countries under declared themselves to feel alone, twice as much in high -income countries (about 11 %).
“Even in a digitally connected world, many young people feel alone. As technology remodel our lives, we must ensure that it strengthens – not weaken – the human connection. Our report shows that the social connection must be integrated into all policies, from digital access to health, education and employment,” he says Chido mpembaCo -president of the WHO commission on social connection and advisor to the president of the African Union.
While data on social isolation are scarce, it is estimated that it affects up to 1 in 3 older adults and 1 in 4 adolescents. Some groups, such as people with disabilities, refugees or migrants, LGBTQ+people, and indigenous groups and ethnic minorities, can be discriminated against or face additional obstacles that hinder the social connection.
Consequences. The problem is that many people do not choose to be alone. They are in this situation due to a combination of factors. And this can be even more dramatic for older adults than, in the West, they can live alone in more than a third of the cases. A study by Harvard University, in the United States, reveals that older people who feel alone have 40 % more risk of dying in a period of four years. In a context of social isolation, this rate is triggered at 75 %. Yes, these are short and medium term consequences.
This result is related to a series of events, both psychological and physiological. On the one hand, the stress of loneliness activates the production of harmful substances for the body. WHO describes this process as something that “infiltrates the skin” and “is rooted biologically”, to the point of interrupting blood flow in the arteries and heart. “As a consequence, blood pressure increases, the formation of clots increases and there is a greater predisposition to have arrhythmias,” says the cardiologist Álvaro Avezum. And there is the other face of the currency: those who live alone feel less motivated to take care of themselves. These people tend to sleep less, smoke more, consume alcohol, eat badly, exercise less and not follow treatments.
The repercussions extend to learning and employment. Teenagers who feel alone have 22 % more likely to obtain low grades or grades. Adults who are alone may have more difficulty finding or maintaining a job and may be lower with the passage of time. At the community level, solitude undermines social cohesion. Communities with strong social ties tend to be safer, healthier and resilient.
Public health. Since it is a public health problem, there is a growing movement in countries such as Japan, Germany and Australia to develop community initiatives that stop isolation syndrome.
The United Kingdom even established a “Ministry of Solitude” focused on understanding the needs of this population that suffers. His latest report, from January of this year, points out that promoting accessibility is crucial to reduce the barriers that isolate people with physical disabilities, for example.
Combating stigma and prejudices against minorities is another frequently defended initiative. Among the measures prescribed by WHO are the inclusion of social interaction in school curricula, the development of intergenerational integration structures and even the support of non -human classmates, such as pets.
By rn
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