Written by: Caitlin Saliba
Edited by: Holly Paik
Isolation, the state of being separated from others, is often perceived as something that we alone are experiencing, and it may be difficult for us to envision others feeling as isolated as we are. However, the United States along with countless other countries around the world are experiencing what is being called an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” (Murthy, 2023). This epidemic has already proven to have negative effects on people’s mental wellbeing as well as physical health. This growing pattern has been fueled by a multitude of societal, financial, and life event-related factors, and was recently exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. I will explore the factors that can contribute to social isolation, the harms it causes, as well as solutions that will benefit people entirely, whether or not they’ve been feeling socially isolated recently.
Isolation and loneliness, the two major issues surrounding this epidemic, are often confused with one another. However, to understand the different causal factors, it’s important to know the difference between the two. Isolation, more specifically social isolation, is described as an individual having little to no social support or contacts available to them. This is an objective measure, meaning someone with a lot of friends can’t be socially isolated. On the other hand, loneliness is more perceptual. It’s the feeling or belief that one is alone or disconnected from others, even if they have social connections. This means that individuals may have a lot of friends, but still feel alone.
We are able to observe a number of different causal factors that contribute towards loneliness and isolation. Many of these factors were apparent prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and their effects on loneliness and isolation have only increased following it. The biggest factors behind why people are isolated or feel lonely include being unmarried or living alone, low income, having a mental/physical disorder or long term disability, loss (in all walks of life), being a part of a socially marginalized or discriminated group, and lack of resources (CDC, 2020). Additionally, those currently under the age of 50 are more likely than those over 50 to report feeling lonely, with 79% of Generation Z reporting that they feel lonely (Cigna, 2020). These variables all damage one’s overall health, ability to work, transportation issues, and trauma. In general, these issues make it extremely difficult for individuals to interact frequently and positively with others in their communities.
Perhaps the most influential causal factor for the increase in loneliness and isolation was the COVID-19 pandemic, as it took a large toll on the way that society operated and continues to operate today, Quarantining and social distancing throughout the world was a necessary step to ensure that as little people got sick as possible. However, it were these very safety measures that made people feel more isolated from society as well as their own families. After the health advisory was lifted, many people still had difficulty returning to normal (Hwang et. al, 2020). There was also a small observed increase or exacerbation of social anxiety in adults following the pandemic, particularly in women and those with a low income (Kindred, 2023) which ties directly back into the risk factors of being socially marginalized and/or earning a low income causing loneliness. Overall, there was about a 5% increase in loneliness across a number of studies, but not all groups experienced that increase (APA, 2022).
Loneliness and social isolation are harmful for a number of reasons, but especially due to the fact that they both significantly increase risk for a range of physiological and mental disorders. Risk for dementia, for example, is raised by 50% when an individual experiences prolonged loneliness or social isolation. Additionally, risks for heart disease and stroke are both raised by 29% and 32%, respectively (CDC, 2023). Aside from physical conditions, loneliness and isolation have the potential to greatly increase risk for a number of mental disorders. Feeling lonely or isolated may cause individuals to be more inclined to avoid social events or activities, have lower self-esteem, and feel overwhelmed in public spaces. This could cause increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and low-self esteem (Mind, 2023).
What is there to do about it? There are a number of potential, yet difficult to implement, solutions that can help combat loneliness and social isolation. Walkable cities would be a perfect solution to the loneliness epidemic, albeit extremely difficult to implement in places like America where most places are already entirely car-centric. One study following adults found that perceived city “walkable-ness” is strongly associated with better overall satisfaction with life, less loneliness, and more happiness (Yu et. al, 2017). In places like cars, we often think of other people on the road as simple obstacles between us and our destination, and it’s rare that two drivers interact outside of it being confrontational. With more walkable cities, we are able to more regularly interact with individuals through means as simple as complementing one another while passing by, meeting each other's pets if they’re being walked, and generally just seeing more people on the sidewalk rather than in cars. Unfortunately for America, some of the largest cities in the country are so industrialized that it’s either impossible, or highly unpleasant, to be able to walk anywhere— meaning it would be highly difficult to transform these car-centric places into more pedestrian-friendly ones.
However, difficulty does not mean impossibility. While we are unable to “start from scratch” to make walkable cities, we are able to improve upon the existing ones to make them more pedestrian friendly. By widening sidewalks, designing streets for people over cars, making areas more safe and attractive, and investing more into public transportation, we are able to take the first steps towards fighting the loneliness and social isolation epidemic by encouraging others to spend less time alone in cars and more time walking to their destinations. On a more policy-driven level, we should encourage our mayors or city boards to invest in new, free, public community spaces that could help to promote interconnectedness and help to cultivate a community.
The loneliness and social isolation epidemic is not one that’s fought easily. We are seeing the long-term effects from a number of different factors including a range of societal factors as discussed as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving forward, it’s important to find ways to interact more with others in order to keep ourselves from feeling lonely. Texting or calling friends and family, making plans to see your loved ones, as well as engaging in social interactions with strangers are all effective ways we are all able to help each other get through the social isolation and loneliness epidemic.
References:
American Psychological Association (2022). COVID-19 pandemic led to increase in loneliness around the world. (2022, May 9). https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/05/covid-19-increase-loneliness
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health risks of social isolation and loneliness. (2023, May 8). https://www.cdc.gov/emotional-wellbeing/social-connectedness/loneliness.htm#:~:text=Social%20isolation%20and%20loneliness%20have,linked%20to%20increased%20risk%20for%3A&text=Heart%20disease%20and%20stroke.,Type%202%20diabetes.
Cigna, (2020). Loneliness and the workplace: 2020 U.S. report. The Cigna Group. https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/about-us/newsroom/studies-and-reports/combatting-loneliness/cigna-2020-loneliness-factsheet.pdf.
Hwang, T. J., Rabheru, K., Peisah, C., Reichman, W., & Ikeda, M. (2020). Loneliness and social
isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. International psychogeriatrics, 32(10), 1217–1220. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610220000988
Kindred, R., & Bates, G. (2023). The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Social Anxiety:
A Systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2362. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032362
Mind About loneliness. (2023). Mind. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/loneliness/about-loneliness.
Murthy, H. V. (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s
Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
Price, S. (2023, May 9). Nearly Half of Americans are Struggling With Loneliness Amid Social
Distancing, and Many Don’t Know Where to Find Help. ValuePenguin.
Yu, R., Cheung, O., Lau, K. K., & Woo, J. (2017). Associations between Perceived Neighborhood Walkability and Walking Time, Wellbeing, and Loneliness in Community-Dwelling Older Chinese People in Hong Kong. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(10), 1199. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14101199
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