Mental Health Awareness Week just finished and took place this year from the 9th-15th of May.
Each year, British Charity, the Mental Health Foundation devises a theme to discuss, in efforts to educate the impact, on the wellbeing of others and creates a safe space for the greater community to get involved globally.
This year, the theme was loneliness.
It’s fair to say that each of us have experienced loneliness at some point, however, the long-term effects of loneliness have proven to be associated with decreased physical health and increased mortality rates.
According to Campaign to End Loneliness, it is reported that:
- The number of over-50s experiencing loneliness is set to reach two million by 2025/6.
- Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all
- Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
There is no doubt that there is also a direct correlation between the impact of the global Pandemic, and how this has further fueled loneliness to increase substantially.
Many studies have found that home isolations and lockdown measures during the Covid-19 periods have enhanced individual loneliness, and further depicts that it is imperative to take action.
We spoke to Triple Board Certified Psychiatrist, Dr. Stephan Dax, who holds over 30 years of experience in treating a plethora of psychiatric disorders. He currently operates in Dubai and specializes in areas such as anxiety, personality disorders, substance abuse and PTSD to name a few.
Dr. Dax highlighted the various facet’s of oneself that can be affected by loneliness and uncovers more, on what resources are available to seek help. See below:
How does loneliness impact one’s mental and physical wellbeing?
A: While we all have different expectations, desires and needs concerning social interaction, nobody is immune from feeling lonely, isolated, abandoned. Much of our personality, our confidence, self-esteem etc. are the product of such social interaction and our place in society. Finding oneself in a vacuum, an empty space, and alone negatively impacts on both physical and mental health. Stress levels increase, an increased amount of stress hormones would be released affecting physical and mental health. As a sense of loneliness is often accompanied by anxiety, depression, despair and ultimately hopelessness and helplessness, it might result in suicidal thoughts and acts and, if prolonged, death from medical “complications” of loneliness.
How do you think loneliness and isolation has been fueled since Covid-19 and the lockdowns that were introduced globally?
A: Of course the global lockdowns, whether imposed by governments of self-imposed due to anxiety and fear (of death), have had numerous negative consequences pertaining to mental and physical health. People have striven to overcome such isolation by an increased use of social media, which has mitigated some of the negative consequences of lockdowns, but having created such new ways of relating to each other virtually rather than in person, such virtual reality may have long term negative consequences now that the pandemic is coming to an end, but new ways of relating to each other will likely persist.
What are some measures someone who is feeling lonely can take? What resources are available?
A: As loneliness ultimately often results in a sense of despair, hopelessness and helplessness, professional help might be required to work one’s way out of the ‘dark hole’ since motivation, energy and drive to do so on one’s own impetus might not suffice. Ways and means to overcome loneliness should be bespoke and there are no universally applicable solutions. Some people might be thrilled to work out in a gym again and experience the presence of others whilst deriving direct benefit from working out in terms of improving physical and mental health; others would prefer meeting friends regularly again for activities, meals, cultural events etc. It is important to choose activities one does enjoy and which can therefore be pursued persistently and with a sense of joy and passion.
Please remember to always reach out if you find yourself suffering & feel free to share your experiences with loneliness on our Twitter page @itpliveme.