Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I took a break last week to watch the Super Bowl, and it wasn’t quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be. I did like the half-time show even though I didn’t understand the words. I thought it was tastefully done. This week has been busy at work, and I’ve been working on my writing, too. A little less running last week, but every once in a while it’s okay to take a break. But enough about that. Today, I want to talk about social connections.
I read in a Blue Zones newsletter recently that isolation can decrease your life expectancy by thirty percent. That’s the same as if you were a smoker and higher than obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. That’s scary. Humans are social animals. We need connection.
It doesn’t matter how many friends you have, just that you have a few good friends to connect with. It could be as simple as getting together for coffee or going for a hike. This applies to young and old alike.
With the younger crowd, I call it disconnection. This is a factor in most mass shootings. The latest mass shooting was in Canada. A young person was in the process of transitioning from male to female. I can’t think of a lonelier place to be than that. Someone who’s changing their identity so drastically is also losing friends. They are in a period of isolation because they don’t really know where they belong anymore. Just think if she had a community that welcomed her as she transitioned. There most likely wouldn’t have been a mass shooting. I know she had mental health issues. It’s too bad she wasn’t getting the help she needed. If she had been a tragedy could’ve been prevented.
Isolation or disconnection has a dramatic effect on your physical and mental health. At first, I blamed technology because teens and some adults are busy playing video games, but I’ve found many games are interactive. This means you can communicate with other players while you’re playing. That’s social even if you’re doing it from your own home.
We need to bring back community centers. Places where the elderly can spend time with people and connect. These places would be good for our young people too. Not all teens can afford expensive gaming equipment. Connection will increase our life span and make everyday life more meaningful. We all need something to look forward to, and getting together with friends is definitely something to look forward to. Don’t you agree? How about you? Do you feel better when you spend time with your friends? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!
