Our lack of community is slowly killing us – to the point that governments and think tanks feel the need to intervene. The “Loneliness Epidemic” was described as a public health crisis by the Surgeon General in 2023. Organizations ranging from NPR to the National Institute of Health have commented on the widespread, systemic rise in chronic social isolation. The health risks of this unabating loneliness include cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death, according to Essential Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting community and interpersonal relationships.
What does a doctor prescribe to assuage the ache of isolation? It’s not a fever or a sore throat that would have you debating the merits of acetaminophen vs ibuprofen; it’s a subjective but very real disconnection from community. It’s in how we treat ourselves and others that we find the remedy. In the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, experts named the prescription to loneliness: social connection.
They laid out a six-pillar plan
- Strengthen Social Infrastructure in Local Communities
- Enact Pro-Connection Public Policies
- Mobilize the Health Sector
- Reform Digital Environments
- Deepen Our Knowledge
- Build a Culture of Connection
How Can We Implicitly Build Community?
One of the most effective ways to combat the loneliness epidemic is to show up for the people in your life and to ask them to show up for you. Ask friends for a ride to the airport or bring an extra coffee to class for the person who sits next to you – build community by being someone others can rely on and, in return, you can rely on them. Individualism is healthy in doses, but the beauty of being “inconvenienced” is being lost. It is a good thing to look at what’s good for your people as contributing to your own best interest, not because it’s an act of direct self-service but because it builds resilience in relationships. We should all cultivate a healthy sense of self, independent from external judgment, but not at the expense of consideration for the people we share space with – share community with.
It all starts with seeing inconvenience as a privilege, both to give and receive.
- When you have a trip to the store planned, ask people what they could use – take something off of their plate, even if it adds a little more to yours.
- Ask people to carpool even if it’s out of their way; the rapport is worth the detour.
- Fold laundry or do chores you know your friends don’t like to do when you visit, noticing a full trash bag and taking it with you when you go leaves a sense of care in your wake.
- Hang out with people when they ask at the last minute. Spontaneity doesn’t equal disrespect; lean into the appreciation of sharing time with your people, even if it’s not entirely on your terms.
Get Involved
Ever thought about how your mental health journey could be the blueprint someone else needs? Tell your story on our blog and show the world what mental health mobilization looks like today. Find out how to submit your story on our website.
