In a world where we should be more connected than ever through social media and technology, people are finding themselves less and less connected to people and more isolated than ever.
Social Isolation and Loneliness has a serious impact on our health and well-being and is becoming more recognised as a public health problem.
A large body of research shows that social isolation and loneliness have a serious impact on physical and mental health, quality of life, and longevity. – WHO - Social Isolation and Loneliness (who.int)
Loneliness is often associated with older people, but loneliness can affect anyone of any age.
Social isolation and loneliness are widespread, with an estimated 1 in 4 older people experiencing social isolation and between 5 and 15 per cent of adolescents experiencing loneliness. – WHO - Social Isolation and Loneliness (who.int)
Although loneliness and social isolation are different, they are closely related and one can lead to the other. But it is important to distinguish between the two, to ensure they are both tackled properly.
“Loneliness is a subjective feeling about the gap between a person’s desired levels of social contact and their actual level of social contact. It refers to the perceived quality of the person’s relationships. Loneliness is never desired and lessening these feelings can take a long time.
Social isolation is an objective measure of the number of contacts that people have. It is about the quantity and not quality of relationships. People may choose to have a small number of contacts.
When they feel socially isolated, this can be overcome relatively quickly by increasing the number of people they are in contact with.”- Age UK The difference between loneliness and isolation | Age UK
Sources
WHO - Social Isolation and Loneliness (who.int)
Age UK - The difference between loneliness and isolation | Age UK