Urbanization with its many benefits also leads to a lack of social interactions.
By Bharti Mishra Nath
Reporter
NDTV
Tagging loneliness as a public health problem, the WHO (World Health Organisation) recently formed a technical advisory committee and is seeking experts to guide them find answers to mitigate loneliness. The UN health agency recognises social isolation and loneliness – which reflect deficits in social connections – affect people of all age groups and have serious consequences for mortality, physical and mental health (including suicide risk), and well-being. For instance, social isolation and loneliness are associated with a 25 to 33 per cent increased risk of mortality and are now widely considered to be risk factors for mortality which are as important as obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking, other forms of substance abuse, and poor access to health care.
In a strict psychological term, loneliness is defined as ‘the state of distress or discomfort that results when one perceives a gap between one’s desire for social connections and actual experience of it’. The common traits of loneliness are spending too much time alone, surrounding oneself with material things and becoming attached to them, spending too much time on social media, inability to let go of negative feelings and experiences, feeling tired all the time, gaining weight etc.
Loneliness is not just confined to people who live alone. Even in crowded surroundings and amidst happy families, people can feel deep and pervasive loneliness. Research suggests that loneliness poses serious threats to well-being as well as long-term physical health.
