IN THE TAPESTRY OF AMERICAN LIVES, an unsettling thread of solitude weaves through the narrative, as revealed by January’s enlightening Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association. Today, we look at our isolation nation.
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called loneliness a public health epidemic.
Today, I will explore the startling reality of loneliness hitting one out of three Americans every week.
First, though, look at what artists say about the problem.
Writers
Loneliness is a silent companion, influencing the emotional landscape of individuals navigating the challenges of contemporary existence.
I’ll begin with the English novelist and poet Charlotte Brontë:
“The trouble is not that I am single and likely to stay single, but that I am lonely and likely to stay lonely.”
― Charlotte
F. Scott Fitzgerald mused:
“The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly.”
A quote from one of my faves, JapMurakami’ser Haruki Murakami, caught my eye as I read about loneliness.
Here he is, writing in Sputnik Sweetheart:
“Why do people have to be this lonely? What’s the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?”
And this“ from Murakami’s Norwegian Wood:
“Nobody likes being alone that much. I don’t go out of my way to make friends, that’s all. It just leads to disappointment. ”
I will end this section with a take from the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre was a key figure in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology).
“If you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company.”
Musicians
I need to let musicians weigh in on loneliness. First, American singer-songwriter Fiona Apple:
“When you’re surrounded by all these people, it can be lonelier than when you’re by yourself. You can be in a huge crowd, but if you don’t feel like you can trust anyone or talk to anybody, you feel like you’re really alone.”
Whitney Houston was an American singer and actress. She was one of the greatest singers in music history. Nicknamed “the Voice,” she shared this:
When I decided to be a singer, my mother warned me I’d be alone a lot. We all are. Loneliness comes with life.
Benjamin Britten offered his poignant take on loneliness:
It is cruel, you know that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and the everlasting beauty of monotony.
Comedians
Robin Williams was an American comedian and actor. Known for his improvisational skills and characters, he is one of the greatest comedians ever.
Here is Williams sharing his thoughts on being alone:
I used to think the worst thing in life was ending up alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.
New report
Approximately three in 10 adults in the U.S. experience loneliness at least once per week. Ten percent feel lonely every day.
These are the findings of January’s Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association.
The report confirms that loneliness is widespread. The condition is particularly prevalent among young people.
As a clinician, I can have an impact by asking my patients about loneliness.
Details – Isolation Nation
The new poll collected responses from 2,200 adults.
The survey defined loneliness based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s description of “feeling like you do not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging.”
Younger adults were more likely to report feeling lonely.
Thirty percent of those aged 18 to 34 reported feeling lonely every day or several times per week. They were also more likely (than older adults) to use alcohol or drugs to relive loneliness.
The survey found that entertainment or social media was the most common coping strategy.
Other approaches included walking, spending time with friends, families, or pets, and exercising.
Serious business – Isolation Nation
We are experiencing a decline in social connections, especially among young folks.
According to a 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory,
Loneliness is as bad as smoking and has profound effects on mental health, increasing the risks of heart disease, stroke, and dementia.
We need to rebuild the social fabric of our country through social connections.
Coping – Isolation Nation
I am of the Maya Angelou school of thought. She explained how she dealt with loneliness: “Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.”
I crawl in between the spaces of my piano pieces.
Do you have a go-to tactic for dealing with loneliness?
Thank you for reading “Isolation Nation: The Startling Reality of Loneliness Hits 33% of Americans Every Week.”
