According to a 2021 Harvard University study on loneliness, 36% of all Americans felt “serious loneliness.” The deepest affected were 18-25-year-olds (61%) and mothers of young children (51%). And it’s not improving as quickly as you might think now that concerns over the global pandemic have subsided.
Loneliness rates have been increasing since the 1970s. There’s less of a community dynamic and more people don’t even know those who live right next to them. There’s a growing isolation in our country.
What’s Causing the Increase in Loneliness?
First, loneliness is not being on your own or being alone. Many people enjoy times of solitude. For some, it’s a badge of honor. Loneliness, on the other hand, is the profound feeling of being disconnected and isolated.
We feel lonely when our relationship and needs for social contact aren’t being met. That means that we all have different tolerances for loneliness. One person may feel lonely after going a day without talking to their friend, while another may find their social contact needs met online even when they don’t see anyone in person for days.
If loneliness percentages are increasing, why is that happening after the COVID restrictions are over? And how can your chamber help?
Factors Contributing to the Growing Loneliness and Sense of Isolation
- Work from home. With many people still working from home (and many of those people want to continue that), the natural companionship of coworkers is gone.
- Netflix and other streaming services. Not to blame TV (okay, we are), but with more streaming options and a lack of interest in going to the movies (about a third fewer people are going to the theater than pre-pandemic numbers), people are opting to stay home over going out with others.
- Intolerance for crowds. After being in our homes for a while during the pandemic, many of us have developed an intolerance of crowds or an almost shyness in social situations. Sometimes staying at home sounds like less effort and thus becomes a more appealing choice, even for those who are lonely.
- Budgeting. Many people are cutting back on paying for experiences and going out because of the increase in costs.
- Hobbies. Due to the pandemic, some of us adopted hobbies that involve staying in such as reading or knitting. Yes, you can do these things anywhere but one’s couch is as good a spot as any. We also learned to make do with things–like online exercise channels and museum explorations–that still have appeal. Staying at home is a hard habit to break for some of us, especially when you factor in rising costs and crowds.
- Time. Since the 1970s (when the loneliness scores began to increase) more people are spending longer time at work and on work (in the office and at home). That means they have fewer hours for socializing. They also may choose to use their “off hours” doing something that’s not social like relaxing in front of the TV. Burnout is a large problem facing many people and it doesn’t inspire us to socialize, rather many of us withdraw.
- Phones. When we are in a social situation such as dinner out, it’s common to pull out our phones for entertainment. The art of conversation is suffering. Society is in danger of losing connection to the world around us. In the past, we may have struck up a conversation with a stranger while waiting in a doctor’s office or waiting in line. Now we pull out our phones and entertain ourselves with video. Even if we wanted to talk to the people around us, they are on their phones or have ear pods in. We’ve all been given that long-suffering look from someone who has to stop their entertainment feed and laboriously remove their earbuds to listen to us.
- Substituting Social Media for Socializing. Unfortunately, connecting through tech doesn’t take the place of human connection for most of us. Not only does it not help, but multiple studies have found a strong link between social media use and anxiety, depression and ironically, loneliness.
Source: American Psychiatric Association
Loneliness and Health
Loneliness has a significant impact on an individual’s well-being and health, with potential links to conditions such as dementia, heart disease, and stroke, affecting longevity in the long run. Research indicates that individuals who self-report feeling lonely face a higher risk of mortality compared to those who do not experience loneliness.
Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, in his book Together, estimated that the health and well-being consequences of reporting feelings of loneliness can be akin to smoking 15 cigarettes daily. This highlights the profound importance of addressing and understanding the effects of loneliness on our overall health and opens a spot for the chamber to help people feel more connected.
How the Chamber Can Combat Loneliness and Why It Should
So, what can your chamber do to help? Make people put down their phones at events? That’s a start. Giving people a reason to network in person and thus make those important connections is the beginning or foundation, but there are a lot of things that need to be fleshed out to ensure a successful approach. And that begins with talking about the problem.
Talk About It
You may have many members who are suffering in silence. They may not even realize they are lonely until you bring up the issue. Some may be embarrassed to admit it or may feel like it’s a black mark on their relationship to admit they are lonely. Just like the conversation surrounding mental health, it’s a good start to talk about it. Bring in a speaker. Talk about how common it is. Offer suggestions and create chamber groups that will help bring people together around a mutual interest like a referral group, mentor group, women leader’s group, etc. Talk about your own experiences, if you have them.
A study by YouGov.com showed that women are more likely to report feeling lonely than men, but men are less likely to talk about it or seek support for it.
Help Those Who Need It Most
Young people and mothers with small children are some of the most affected by this plague of loneliness. How can your chamber reach out to these groups? Do you have a young professionals group? If so, begin marketing it from the standpoint of meeting new people. Offer programming that will help them see the group as a fix for their loneliness without advertising it as such. Use the word “networking” less often and talk about making “life-long friendships” or “long-term connections” instead. That subtle change in words and how you market can make a difference in reaching the intended audience.
To help mothers of youngsters, offer an occasional group that helps them balance mom and kid time possibly through group interactions where women can bring their children. Some women are trying to build home businesses. What can you offer them? Is there enough interest in your community to start a mompreneur group? Can it be an offshoot of your women leaders group? Think of ways you might meet their needs. Just because a young mom is home with her kids doesn’t mean she isn’t interested in meeting women that are going to talk about something other than Disney.
You could make this type of programming a part of your workforce development strategy by reaching out to women who are ready to rejoin the workforce. It can be an intimidating time if they’ve taken many years off. Having an organization like the chamber helping them reintegrate or start an entrepreneurial venture is very meaningful and helps employers reach and untapped market of potential employees.
Call or Visit Your Members
It’s difficult to allot the time for this type of activity but any human interaction you can provide could be very helpful in reducing their feeling of isolation. A call, a visit, or an invitation to coffee can help them feel more connected to you and the chamber.
Advocate
Work with your city and other stakeholders to make your town “friendlier.” It sounds a little funny but with estimates of over 60% of the population saying they feel lonely and disconnected, helping them feel less so can be a big boost for the chamber.
Advocate for the growth of a homey, community feeling. The city of Rifle, Colorado created a “Smile, Wave, & Greet Campaign” to bring friendliness back. You can do that through little ways like supporting more outdoor dining, encouraging member businesses to offer things like leagues and classes, working with the library to increase their programs, or many other activities that build a sense of community.
Loneliness is a quality of life issue. It can cause health problems like depression, anxiety, obesity, addiction, etc., which tax healthcare resources and increase costs. It impacts your workforce because it impacts their mental health. Loneliness may not seem like a business issue, but it’s one we can’t afford to ignore.
