I was an only child growing up, and an introvert to boot. As a little kid I had vivid imaginary playtimes with figurines (primarily but not exclusively Disney) and dolls (primarily but not exclusively Barbie). As a tween I disappeared from the world by plugging into headphones and getting lost in the Beatles and Cat Stevens. And one summer in lieu of traditional camp, I signed up for a course on Existentialism. My point? I’ve spent a fair portion of my life in the pleasure of my own company. Sometimes by choice, definitely. But many times simply out of habit. There have been moments in my life when I’ve felt achingly lonely. About ten years ago I was in a very bad mental state, and am eternally grateful to my beloved aunt for letting me stay with her night after night when I felt almost physically unwell being alone.

But here’s the confounding thing about loneliness: so many people feel it. If so many of us feel lonely, surely there must be a way to feel lonely together, and from there, ultimately, to be un-lonely together? As with anything, the first step is naming the situation. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially labeled loneliness a global issue. US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy will be one of two leaders of a new, three-year commission examining the ways loneliness impacts physical, mental, and emotional well being:

Earlier this week, the WHO launched the Commission on Social Connection, which, according to a news release, aims “to address loneliness as a pressing health threat, promote social connection as a priority and accelerate the scaling up of solutions in countries of all incomes.”

The group is led by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and African Union Youth Envoy Chido Mpemba and also includes “11 leading policy-makers, thought leaders and advocates,” per the release.

The new commission will for the next three years and will look at how loneliness and social isolation can affect physical, mental and emotional health, with Murthy, 46, suggesting that the effects can be just as bad as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than those seen in relation to obesity and not maintaining one’s physical health.

“I am thrilled to work closely with an outstanding group of Commissioners on advancing social connection — a vital component of well-being. Together, we can build a world that is less lonely, healthier, and more resilient,” Murthy said in a statement.

He added, “Given the profound health and societal consequences of loneliness and isolation, we have an obligation to make the same investments in rebuilding the social fabric of society that we have made in addressing other global health concerns, such as tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis.”

In a statement of her own, Mpemba, 35, said, “Young people are not immune to loneliness. Social isolation can affect anyone, of any age, anywhere.”

“Across Africa and beyond, we must redefine the narrative around loneliness,” she continued. “Investments in social connection are critical to creating productive, resilient and stable economies that promote the well-being of current and future generations.”

[From People]

So I needed more info on that 15 cigarettes comment — what do they mean, that loneliness affects your lungs? But this one seems to be down to People’s excerpting, because Dr. Murthy clearly explains at HHS.gov that “The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.” I don’t know why I feel relieved with that clarification, but I do. Dr. Murthy also says that he had begun early research on loneliness affecting Americans well before Covid and lockdown. He rightly notes that this issue was prevalent before the isolation of lockdown, but was undeniably exacerbated by it. I’m glad WHO is recognizing loneliness as a serious health issue. Because it is. I’m not quite sure what practical remedies come out of this — it’s not like you can get a vaccine for loneliness (oh, if only!!). But I look forward to being pleasantly surprised by the findings of Vivek Murthy and Chido Mpemba. Until then, I’ll still be listening to the Beatles and catching up on my Nietzsche.

photos credit: MediaPunch/Backgrid, pat__ on Unsplash, Denniz Futalan and Vadim B on Pexels