Issue No. 5: It's Giving Loneliness

August 31st, 2023

Issue No. 5: It’s Giving Loneliness

🏔️ Braving the Wilderness

The world has never been more connected yet so apart ✨

• Half of US adults report experiencing loneliness.

• In 2018, only 16% of Americans felt attached to their local community.

• Rates of loneliness among young adults have increased every year since 1976.

• Stress-related absenteeism attributed to loneliness costs employers $154B annually.

Sound the alarm. Loneliness is a cause for major concern. NYT best-selling author Brene Brown writes: “Living with air pollution increases your odds of dying early by 5%. Living with obesity, 20%, Excessive drinking, 30%. And living with loneliness? 45%.”

According to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, “[loneliness] is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.”

He goes on to write that the “mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.” The main culprit? You guessed it – social media.

It turns out the thing (social media) bringing us together is also driving us apart. A study found that those who use social media for more than two hours a day double their odds of feeling socially isolated.

Feeling isolated is one thing, but social media are breeding grounds for dehumanization and segregation, driving us to fear and avoid in-person connection, further exacerbating the vicious cycle of loneliness.

The good news. We’re hardwired for social connection – it’s ingrained in who we are. The challenge is being vulnerable, confronting fear, belonging to ourselves, and using social media as a tool to foster IRL human connection. Not as a means to escape your emotions.

The remedy, according to Brene Brown, is threefold:

• Be vulnerable. When you’re vulnerable, you’re showing up as your true self and, therefore, will always belong no matter where you go.

• Use social media to craft/deepen IRL relationships. Whether it’s a run club or poker night, studies show that those with a social circle live longer and better. How can you leverage Twitter, IG, and LinkedIn to improve your IRL relationships?

• Attack fear with courage. Run an audit on your life – where is fear hiding in plain sight? Where can you run through it with bravery?

Punchline: Loneliness is an epidemic affecting millions worldwide. It’s time to start thinking about what is inflicting loneliness and preventing it at the source. Being wise about your social media use is a good place to start.

📝 A personal anecdote 

Earlier this year, I moved to NYC. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t have a job, and felt pretty lonely. But then I found Endorphins, an NYC-based run club. My world got flipped upside down. I felt a sense of belonging for the first time since moving across the country.

As I write this, I’m sitting on a flight heading to Austin, TX, with fourteen other Endorphins run club members to launch Endorphins in another city. It’s safe to say, I’ve found my crew.

I can’t stress how important your social circle is for your health and well-being. Without a core group of people to do things you love with, you risk getting distracted by one-sided relationships and unfulfilling activities.

There’s immense power in finding people you can move, laugh, learn, love, grow, play, talk, and be vulnerable with. It has an inextricable ripple effect on every aspect of your life. You’re more fulfilled, you operate with intent and vibrance, and life feels less like a game to be won and more like a game to be played and enjoyed.

Looking ahead: Understanding how new technology affects our mental and physical health is crucial to solving the underlying ailment.

Apologies if this was too sentimental for you. We’ll be back to our high-level insight and takeaways next week.

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This piece was brought to you by Noah Cracknell.