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Some of those are married,
in relationships, living with their families, attend
college, have careers and so forth but just being around
people just is not enough when that open space in our hearts
begin to ache. When I get lonely, I often cry but I know it
will pass and I try to create ways to remove the empty,
painful space in my heart.
A recent survey from 2018 by Cigna and Ipsos, a marketing
research firm surveyed over 20,000 Americans over the age of
18 and the results were:
·
47 percent felt left out
·
27 percent rarely or never felt as though there are people
who really understand them.
·
43 percent felt that their relationships are not meaningful
·
43 percent felt isolated from others
·
20 percent rarely or never felt close to people
·
18 percent didn't feel like there are people they can talk
to
·
Only 53 percent have meaningful in-person social
interactions, such as having an extended conversation with a
friend or spending quality time with family, on a daily
basis.
·
The loneliest generation of adults was Generation Z or those
18 to 22 years old.
The above research results were conducted via survey and
does not account for every adult or child, for that matter,
but it helps to give an idea at least of how Generation Z
across America is experiencing loneliness. Loneliness can
be a choice with isolation or it could be out of our
control.
My heart often goes out to those in nursing or group homes
with no family available or willing to care for them. I
think about all of the children in just Ohio’s foster care
due to losing their parent(s) to heroin or other drug of
choice. And let’s not forget about our troops overseas and
on active duty away from their families. I was one of those
troops many years ago and as long as I had my fellow Airmen,
I never quite felt lonely, it was only after I returned, I
felt lonely because I felt as if no one understood my way of
life. It is an adjustment period. Part of counseling is
adjusting to that which you hope to change, want to change
or in the process of changing.
I previously worked at an in-patient drug rehabilitation
program that housed about 100 adults. I served as a mental
health counselor to patients diagnosed with other than
drug/alcohol related issues. Honestly, I felt everyone who
walked into treatment suffered from adjustment disorder.
They just lost their drug of choice and way of coping. They
often lost their children, families and homes. At various
times I would observe them outside in the back playing
basketball, joking around with each other, making friends,
sharing stories and just sitting together. I came to tears
as I walked to my car that warm Sunday because each was
smiling and it was if his or her loneliness had shifted to
happiness.
Of all the medications and drug and alcohol classes, I
believe the remedy to addictions is no longer feeling and
being lonely. If the individual has people in which to
share their stories, time, love, compassion and especially
their progress, that’s half the battle. Remove the
loneliness factor and you have an individual who will
finally live out their life’s purpose, feel part of society,
give back and secretly care about other’s who feel lonely.
Bottom line, loneliness can cause and severe pain and
suffering. Becoming social and having a support system does
not happen over- night but is the best anecdote over
suicide, depression and giving up one’s hope and faith.
Bernadette Graham is a
licensed professional counselor accepting new clients at her
private practice. You may call 419.409.4929 to make an
appointment. She also provides presentations and workshops
on mental health related topics Also, visit her website at
www.joyofhealingtherapies.com
Source of survey from
Cigna and Ipsoshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2018/05/01/here-is-more-evidence-that-americans-are-lonely-and-what-should-be-done/#418e69853194
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