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| The Phenomenon of Loneliness Haunting Population Health |
There are times when you feel like no one is able to understand, listen, appreciate, or support you. It was at that time that a feeling of loneliness arose. Loneliness is a problem that can actually be overcome. Even in certain countries such as England, loneliness is considered a public health problem that must be handled directly by the government.
What exactly is meant by loneliness? Why do so many public health experts classify loneliness as an epidemic? Come on, find out the ins and outs of loneliness and how to overcome it below.
1. Loneliness can arise even when you are surrounded by friends and family
Loneliness doesn't just happen to people who live alone. Loneliness is the feeling of being cut off from your friends, family, or social circle. Loneliness can also describe the feeling of someone who feels that no one else can understand him. In addition, lonely people also do not have relationships with other people who can make them feel needed or wanted.
Loneliness can be caused by someone being exiled, but that is not the main factor that influences it the most. You can feel lonely even though you are surrounded by friends and family every day. The reason is, if you are not too close or don't have a strong bond with these people, you can still feel lonely.
2. Many elderly people are lonely
As they get older, people will be increasingly busy with their respective events so that they rarely interact with those closest to them who are also equally busy. There are also many elderly people who don't have much activity and people around them like children and grandchildren rarely come to visit. This is what calls the presence of a sense of loneliness in parents.
Even so, loneliness can still haunt everyone, regardless of how old they are. It's just that loneliness in the elderly is more worrying because it will really have an impact on health. The elderly are prone to experiencing various health problems due to the aging process. When seasoned with loneliness, the elderly may find it increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
3. Loneliness can be “contagious”
You might not expect this fact about loneliness. Yes, loneliness can "transmit" from one person to another as if it were an epidemic disease. Susan Newman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of the book Parenting An Only Child, said that friends and family of people who feel lonely have a 52 percent greater chance of also experiencing loneliness.
4. Lonely people are prone to disease
Did you know that lonely people are prone to disease? Yes, some observations have found that loneliness can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. A third of lonely people are also prone to have lower blood pressure than people who feel happy because they are surrounded by friends or family.
Research has also found prejudice that lonely people basically already have poor health conditions. So, not infrequently they even fascinate themselves from their environment so that in the end they feel even more lonely.
Loneliness can also make a person colder to health. For example, you often stay up late and lack sleep, eat carelessly, are addicted to alcohol, smoke more often, or are lazy to move. This is what results threaten public health.
5. Feelings of loneliness can be eliminated and prevented
Although loneliness can be detrimental to physical and mental health, it can be overcome. Unlike mental illnesses such as depression or bipolar disorder, loneliness is inherently temporary. Loneliness can actually be a signal for yourself to find new friends or deepen your relationships with those closest to you.
Loneliness can be resolved with your own awareness that you really want to make a change. Here are some ways to prevent and dispel loneliness:
- Realize that loneliness is a sign that something needs to be changed in your life.
- Understand the effect loneliness has on your life. Both physically, mentally and financially.
- To deal with loneliness, join a new community or contribute to social activities to widen your social circle.
- Focus on building good relationships with people who share the same perceptions, interests and values as you.
- Optimistic thinking. Lonely people often fear that they will be rejected when they meet new people. Instead of considering things that are uncertain, it is better to focus on your efforts to get out of the black hole of loneliness.