The paradox of loneliness today

Despite the popularity of social media, huge numbers feel alienated

When the poet May Sarton said “loneliness is the poverty of self and solitude is the richness of self’’ she was making a distinction between the two states of mind in ways not usually articulated in poetry but in psychological and philosophical terms. Both are ways in which the self interacts with the world and the world impacts the self. They are important in times when the individual feels increasingly conflicted with or alienated from the world. As the poet said, solitude is generally positive, and a choice over which the individual often has control. But loneliness is also negative and harmful when it is imposed on the individual by society. Often, the individual is driven to it. The effect of loneliness on life was recently highlighted by US surgeon-general Vivek Murthy, who said that it was as dangerous as smoking, and significantly raised the risk of heart disease and stroke. The statement is being compared to the then US surgeon general Luther Terry’s 1964 report which for the first time highlighted the dangers of smoking and linked it to diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Murthy said that widespread loneliness poses health risks comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually. He said that the crisis caused by disengagement from the community and its institutions has been deepened by the Covid pandemic and it needs to be addressed by increasing social connectedness. It will be wrong to dismiss it as a rich world problem which has no relevance in societies like ours with strong bonds rooted in institutions like family, caste, community, and even an entrenched sense of tradition. But these bonds are weakening and the signs of the individual’s alienation from society are seen in all areas of life. The alienation leads to a sense of loneliness.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) had reported in 2004 that 4.91 million people in India experienced loneliness. This is not a small number and it could only have increased now. Loneliness as a medical and mental health issue should receive more attention in the country. It causes physical ailments and psychological problems like depression and suicidal tendencies. It affects not just the elderly but also persons of all age groups and classes. It is ironic that the sense of isolation has increased when there is scope for greater interconnectedness and increased mobility and telecommunication. It is necessary to study the problem and address it with policies and actions at the level of governments, communities and social groups and organisations.