The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm about the increasing global impact of loneliness, reporting that it causes an estimated 871,000 deaths each year.
According to findings published by the WHO Commission on Social Connection on Monday, one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness—a condition that goes beyond emotional distress and can lead to significant physical and mental health challenges.
The report emphasizes that loneliness and social isolation considerably elevate the risk of serious health conditions, including strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and even suicide.
According to the WHO, teenagers experiencing loneliness have a 22% higher likelihood of receiving lower grades compared to their peers. Similarly, lonely adults encounter greater difficulties in securing or maintaining employment.
The consequences affect individuals and society as a whole, leading to billions in healthcare system costs and employment losses.
Vivek Murthy, the commission's co-chair, describes loneliness as "a painful and subjective feeling that arises when our existing relationships fall short of those we truly need."
In contrast, social isolation is the objective condition of having few relationships or interactions.
According to the report, an estimated one-third of older adults and one-quarter of adolescents experience social isolation.
Its causes include illness, inadequate education, low income levels, limited opportunities for social interaction, living alone, and the use of digital technologies.
Murthy observed that for thousands of years, humans have communicated not just with words but also through facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and even silence.
These methods of communication are diminished when individuals depend exclusively on mobile phones and social media.
The WHO recognized Sweden as a positive example for its implementation of a national strategy to combat loneliness, according to Swedish Social Minister Jakob Forssmed.
Sweden acknowledges that loneliness is not merely an individual issue but a concern impacting society collectively.
Initiatives are underway to strengthen social interactions in locations such as shops, restaurants, neighborhoods, and clubs.
In the near future, every child and teenager in Sweden will receive a prepaid card designed exclusively for booking group leisure activities.
Forssmed announced that Sweden intends to prohibit mobile phones in public schools.
Research has indicated that this enhances social interaction and decreases cyberbullying.
Children and teenagers experience improved sleep and find it easier to set their phones aside during leisure time.
Forssmed mentioned that children frequently feel frustrated when their parents are continually distracted by their phones.
Although digital technologies offer benefits, such as making previously impossible video calls a reality...
The commission stressed the significance of establishing environments where individuals can engage with each other in person, free from technological interruptions.
Murthy emphasized the importance of having opportunities and environments that allow us to engage with others in person, free from technological distractions.
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