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Loneliness: It Affects us All
 

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Loneliness: It Affects us All

Posted by Michelle Robichaud / Halifax, Nova Scotia
2/7/2023
Page Image
photo of a small humanoid figure made out of cardboard boxes and looking sad
Image Caption

​Youth who experience loneliness have higher rates of mental illness. Photo by Mulyadi on Unsplash

Opening paragraph

​If you were asked to name the loneliest age group in Canada, what would your answer be? Chances are that you might choose seniors, but you'd be wrong. Statistically speaking, people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old say that they are the loneliest.[1] According to Statistics Canada, 22.2% of people who self-identify as "always lonely" are those in that age group, compared with just 14% of people over the age of 75.[2] Loneliness among young people is widespread, and its various negative health outcomes are well known.[3]

Page Content

​

Infograph showing that 23% of people ages 15-24 reported always or often feeling lonely. Infographic from Statistics Canada


What is Loneliness?

Loneliness can be thought of as "a subjective, unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of companionship."[4] It is about developing and maintaining meaningful connections with others. Richard Bach writes, "The opposite of loneliness is not togetherness, it's intimacy."[5] In other words, loneliness is a communal problem - so, what can we do about it?

 

What Can We Do About Loneliness?

Here are a few suggestions:

  • Provide Volunteer Opportunities: Service lessens loneliness. Not only is there healing in serving a greater purpose, but helping others leads to belonging and to building relationships with like-minded people.
  • Cultivate Spiritual Practices: Focusing on spiritual needs helps people to put their loneliness in perspective, as well as giving them tools to deal with its painful feelings.
  • Give Hope: People in the depths of loneliness often despair that they will never leave that place. Let them know that they are loved, by the community and by God, and that their negative feelings are temporary.

Loneliness is not something we can eliminate overnight, so perhaps we also need a fresh take on it: "A lonely day is God's way of saying that he wants to spend some quality time with you."[6] Developing and maintaining a close connection to God is key. In fact, it just might be the balm that people need to heal their loneliness.


Michelle is a smiling woman with glasses standing in front of an ornate mosque

Michelle Robichaud is a Master of Divinity student at the Atlantic School of Theology and a candidate for ordination with the United Church of Canada. As part of her degree, she is conducting a qualitative research study on the effects of loneliness on the spiritual lives of rural young adults. This article includes some of her preliminary findings.



[1] Statistics Canada, "Loneliness in Canada," accessed October 5, 2022, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2021090-eng.htm.

[2] Statistics Canada, "Loneliness by Gender and Other Selected Sociodemographic Characteristics: Q1 2022," accessed September 30, 2022, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=4510004901.

[3] Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, "A Connected Society: A Strategy for Tackling Loneliness – Laying the Foundations for Change," UK Government pdf (October 2018): 18-19. "Research shows that loneliness is associated with a greater risk of inactivity, smoking and risk-taking behaviour; increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke; an increased risk of depression, low self-esteem, reported sleep problems and increased stress response; and with cognitive decline and an increased risk of Alzheimer's...It can increase social anxiety."

[4] Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, "A Connected Society," 18.

[5] Richard Bach, Goodreads, accessed January 11, 2023, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/loneliness?page=7.

[6] Criss Jami, Goodreads, accessed January 11, 2023, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/loneliness?page=7.


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