Providing increased public health services across the country in rural communities is draining the coffers of several governmental entities. There are new reports of the need to address the social problems that have cropped up in the aftermath of the pandemic. This new information includes data collected from area residents to discover what problems have popped up. More solutions to loneliness and social isolation need to be found.
Apparently, some reports from a wide range of community surveys are showing that those feelings of being absolutely alone are no longer considered to be age-related. Younger people who are in the habit of working from home or using their free time on the web playing games or using social media are finding the transition to getting out in the community difficult. Experiencing life and love through the screen at a distance causes one to feel even more alone.
A year or so ago, a report from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy specifically noted the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the U.S. He added that loneliness was “associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death.” The continued decline of one’s mental health is affecting a growing number of residents. The topper was one additional fact he cited: “…the mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
Our collective physical needs may be taken care of quickly, yet the unidentified emotional trauma results in equally serious problems. While some of the public officials tasked with addressing these social problems in their area were able to find some workable solutions, others stayed stymied. Public health experts continue to emphasize that the link between one’s physical and mental health must be recognized and treated.
By Dolly Viscardi
