Following the pandemic, many people are finding it difficult to reunite with their social groups. Social isolation and loneliness are associated with behaviors that negatively impact cardiovascular and brain health, such as lower levels of self-reported physical activity, low nutritional intake, and a more sedentary lifestyle. Multiple large studies found significant associations between loneliness and a higher likelihood of smoking and other addictive habits. Taking charge of your mental health to overcome isolation and loneliness will make life worth living again, and it might just save your life.
News
The health risks associated with isolation and loneliness
Risk of social isolation increases with age due to life factors, such as widowhood and retirement. Nearly 1/4 of U.S. adults ages 65 and older are socially isolated, and prevalence of loneliness is even higher, with estimates of 22% to 47%. A survey from the project describes “Gen Z” (adults currently ages 18-22) as the loneliest generation. Increased isolation and loneliness among younger adults may be attributed to higher social media use and less engagement in meaningful in-person activities.
New Patient Comment – September 2022
“I’ve been seeing Dr. Holland for almost 2 years now. I sought her out specifically for transitional therapy, she was key in her letter of recommendation for Orchiectomy surgery. I continued therapy for a year as a promise to my urologist. As a T12 paraplegic life can be very difficult, stuck in a wheelchair, other functions, etc. Being disabled herself Jenny understands the challenges of navigating the world. I continue to see her, as I have much to still benefit from our sessions.”
New study asks: Does watching the news make us sick?
High risk individuals frequently became so immersed and personally invested in news stories that the stories dominated the individual’s waking thoughts, disrupted time with family and friends, made it difficult to focus on school or work, and contributed to restlessness and an inability to sleep. Perhaps not surprisingly, people with higher levels of problematic news consumption were significantly more likely to experience mental and physical ill-being than those with lower levels, even when controlling for demographics, personality traits, and overall news use.
New study examines how self-compassion makes life better
A new study published in Personality and Individual Differences reveals that there is more to self-compassion than meets the eye. While we already know it can help us deal with setbacks adaptively and with dignity, it can also help us appreciate the good times more fully.
Friendships empower women against unwelcome sexual experiences
Sexual victimization is a widely studied phenomenon on college campuses, yet surprisingly little is known about how first-year college women navigate and respond to this risk. A new study reviews how perpetrators might target first-year women for a variety of reasons that include inexperience with alcohol, and being new to many of the social settings that are common in college. Strategies developed by researchers called “capable guardianship” helps women understand that by working together they can maximize their protection and safety and reduce the possible occurrence of nonconsensual sexual acts, ranging from unwanted touching to rape.