In 2023, former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy released a report titled Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Health Effects of Social Connection and Community.
A Surgeon General’s Advisory is “a public statement that calls the American People’s attention to an urgent public health issue and provides recommendations for how it should be addressed.” These types of reports are reserved for significant and timely public health challenges and encourage the nation to take immediate action.
A lack of social connection
It’s no surprise that America has a loneliness problem—we’ve rapidly increased our use of technology and the internet, and our sense of and involvement with community has dwindled over the years.
These behaviors point to a diminished feeling of social connection, which can lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes across the board.
According to the report, a lack of social connection can increase the risk for premature death, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression and dementia. There are also data that show a link between a lack of social connection and susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illnesses.
Building a culture of connection
In the report, six pillars were identified to advance social connection. These pillars were created with the goal of improving poor health outcomes caused by loneliness for Americans:
- Strengthen social infrastructure in local communities
- Enact pro-connection public policies
- Mobilize the health sector
- Reform digital environments
- Deepen our knowledge
- Cultivate a culture of connection
While all six pillars are key to driving change, pillar six, cultivate a culture of connection, is a matter individuals can take into their own hands in daily life. In this pillar, the report states:
“A culture of connection is vital to creating the changes needed in society. While formal programs and policies can be impactful, the informal practices of everyday life—the norms and culture of how we engage one another—significantly influence social connection. These shared beliefs and values drive our individual and collective behaviors that then shape programs and policies. We cannot be successful in the other pillars without this underlying culture of connection.”
These informal practices of connection, according to the report, rest on values of kindness, respect, service and commitment to one another. How we treat each other, interact with each other, and think about each other matters.
So, how do we work toward this culture of connection as individuals? The report outlines ideas:
Practice connection daily
- Invest in the people you care about and engage in quality conversation. Take time each day to reach out to a friend or family member.
- Respond when someone reaches out, support others and show your gratitude. As you create these habits, others are more likely to mirror them back, which strengthens your social bonds and leads to better social connection.
Reduce screen time
- Put your phone or other screens away when engaging in conversation with people. Removing this distraction can lead to higher quality connection.
- Reduce practices that lead to feelings of disconnection from others—like excessive screen time and frequent social media use.
Serve and spend time in your community
- Seek out community service opportunities. It can be as simple as helping a family member or friend with yardwork.
- Be intentional about interacting with people of different backgrounds and experiences. Doing so will deepen your understanding of others’ lives and feelings.
- Join community groups such as fitness, religious, hobby, professional or community service organizations. Groups help develop belonging, meaning and purpose.
Ask for help
- If you are having trouble coping, reach out to a family member, friend, counselor, doctor or a crisis helpline like 988. It is not weak to ask for help.
- Be honest with your doctor if you’ve faced significant social changes in your life. This can help them understand potential health risks and impacts, and they will be able to connect you to helpful resources.
Reflect
Finally, the report invites individuals to
“Reflect the core values of connection in how you approach others in conversation and through the actions you take. Key questions to ask yourself when considering your interactions with others include: How might kindness change this situation? What would it look like to treat others with respect? How can I be of service? How can I reflect my concern for and commitment to others?”
By asking these questions, and by implementing small, daily practices, we can learn to foster stronger relationships and connection with the people around us.
While it’s not the only step to take, it is a vital one to reverse the poor outcomes loneliness can and will create within us and our communities.
Want to dive further into this topic? Read the full Surgeon General report: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf