• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Health Conditions / Mental Health / The Hidden Health Risks Of Loneliness

The Hidden Health Risks Of Loneliness

 

African American woman sad lonely in bed

According to the Labor Bureau of Statistics, for the first time since 1976, the number of singles is at 50.2 percent. Single people, for the first time, outnumber married people. People often associate loneliness with being single, but loneliness is something a person can feel or experience whether they are single or in a relationship.

READ: 5 Things Getting In The Way Of A Good Night’s Sleep

More than implications on your relationship status, loneliness is a big deal as far as your health is concerned. According to researchers at the University of North Carolina, loneliness can increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and stroke. Another study cites that chronic loneliness can lead to a shorter life by as much as 14 percent. Loneliness, in the long term, can have a greater impact on you than obesity, dealing with poverty, and your overall well-being.

The good news is that we are living longer, but this is also having an impact on us mentally, emotionally and physically as we have more time to deal with loneliness. That being said, there are some factors that can greatly increase your feelings of isolation and loneliness.

They include:

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should NEVER Eat after Age 30
  • Living alone, feeling as though you don’t have a support network in place, or being in a relationship in which you don’t feel supported
  • Being isolated from others or having limited interaction with your relatives and friends especially as you become older and enter the retirement phase of your life

READ: How Friendships Are Good For Your Health At Every Stage

“It should be as important to encourage adolescents and young adults to build broad social relationships and skills for interacting with others as it is to eat healthy and be physically active,” according to Dr. Kathleen Mullan Harris, of UNC and the Carolina Population Center. 

If you are suffering from loneliness, there are ways in which you can decrease the loneliness you feel.
One of the top reasons you may experience loneliness is too much self-focus on what you lack versus what is abundant in your life.
Yes, sometimes you need to step outside of your own world to see things from a greater perspective and realize that you have much to be grateful for.
READ: Running Out On Depression
Some ways you can do this include:

Getting involved in your community.

Doing some volunteer work at a homeless shelter, food depository, women’s shelter, local school, hospital or library can do wonders for helping you connect with others.

When you are helping someone else, this is often the biggest way to connect back to a happier state of mind.

Go exercise.

Exercise can be a wonderful way to boost your mental state.

You May Also Like
Learn About Merck's Research Studies For Patients With Kidney Cancer

If a tight budget is holding you back from joining a local health club, utilize the park districts in your area to sign up for activities.

Often, there are many free or inexpensive programs. Some of these programs include workouts in a gym, swimming classes or other indoor and outdoor hobbies and activities.

Journal how you feel.

Putting things down in black and white on paper help them to feel less daunting.

Write about what makes you lonely and then write down what you are going to do to feel happier and less lonely. Then most importantly, put it into action.

Find time to connect with family, friends and loved ones.

It can be difficult to get out and even want to mingle with others if you are feeling sad or lonely. Perhaps you have lost a spouse after many years of marriage, or a good friend and the last thing you want to do is socialize with others. But, social connection is one of the best ways to cope with loss and ease your grieving.

Try looking at each social activity as a chance to do something to take you outside of your normal day-to-day routine, get to know new people and build new friendships with those who can be supportive and encouraging.

Each of us will experience loneliness at some point in our lives. The key is to figure out how to change your perspective and create excitement in your life.

Loneliness doesn’t have to be endless, it can be the lesson that helps you find new ways to connect with others, enjoy life and help you prioritize what is most important.

 

For more great articles, click here. 

March 21, 2023 by Elizabeth Overstreet

Read Next Article

The Latest In Mental Health

practicing mindfulness

3 Benefits Of Adding Mindful Practices To Your Daily Routine

Contemplative practices such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are becoming increasingly more popular in many urban communities. From yoga studios to retreats, many of us are now starting to gravitate toward life practices that focus on the mind, body, and read more about 3 Benefits Of Adding Mindful Practices To Your Daily Routine
fantasy football

6 Ways To Stay Stress Free This Fantasy Football Season

It's that time of year again - fantasy football season has arrived! Many are eagerly anticipating gathering with friends and family to watch their favorite sport, all while avoiding the dreaded punishment for coming in last place in their fantasy read more about 6 Ways To Stay Stress Free This Fantasy Football Season
types of grief

Recognizing the 9 Different Types Of Grief

Losing something you value causes pain, but there are various sorts of grieving beyond the death of a loved one. When someone, place, pet, or item you care about leaves your life, you may feel loss. This emptiness causes regret read more about Recognizing the 9 Different Types Of Grief
back to school

4 Tips To Help Your Child’s Back-To-School Anxiety

Back-to-School season is upon us – if you couldn’t tell by the uniforms and school supplies strewn all over every department store. And, as the yearly routine goes, there are a few tykes somewhere in the world begging their parents read more about 4 Tips To Help Your Child’s Back-To-School Anxiety
podcasts for mental health

Best Podcasts For Your Mental Health

Remember when we were all stuck in the house, quarantining in 2020? The podcast space saw major growth during that period being that we were all spending more time in solitude. We needed someone or something to relate to. That read more about Best Podcasts For Your Mental Health
Method Man

Method Man Opens Up About Depression and Anxiety

Rapper and actor Method Man recently opened up about his struggle with anxiety and depression and how it has affected his life. In an interview with Men's Health, the Wu-Tang star talked about how he coped with his rising fame read more about Method Man Opens Up About Depression and Anxiety

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

The 14 Different Types Of Headaches: Which One You’re Experiencing?

6 Things In Your Home That Can Cause Cancer

things that cause cancer

5 Amazing Things Salt Water Can Cure

salt water benefits

5 Exercise Moves That Never Work

exercise moves

3 Supplements You Should Be Taking Daily

daily report
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.