Loneliness is an emotional signal that tells you to go find someone to 跟, 参与社区活动, and serve others—even if you think it will be hard.
安德鲁J. 史密斯博士在一年中最冷的时候, northern New Englanders tend to spend more time indoors and turn in early—and that can be a little lonely. The COVID-19 pandemic also forced all of us to spend more time in isolation, with many of us still getting less human interaction than we used to as a lot of office jobs shifted to a work-from-home model.
Alone time can be relaxing and energizing, but too much can have negative impacts. 去年，美国.S. 卫生局局长Vivek Murthy说, MD, issued a public health advisory about the dangers of loneliness, saying it impacts half of all American adults.
“If you are among those suffering, the antidote to your loneliness could be closer and more accessible than you think,安德鲁说。. 史密斯博士, a psychologist at 十大网赌平台推荐卫生’s Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, who recently co-authored a study on how social connectedness can help improve health. “No doubt, loneliness can have far-reaching effects on a person’s life. 但 loneliness is not a personal failing. Loneliness is an emotional signal that tells you to go find someone to 跟, 参与社区活动, and serve others—even if you think it will be hard.”
Studies show myriad impacts of prolonged loneliness and social isolation on our health, leading to increased risk for cardiovascular disease, 免疫功能紊乱, 失眠, 中风, 痴呆, 抑郁症, 焦虑, 甚至更早死亡. Loneliness can not only impact your emotional wellbeing, it can make you feel worse about yourself and your perceived prospects for a meaningful life.
If you feel you are suffering from loneliness, ask yourself some questions:
- Are you having trouble in your relationship with loved ones?
- Do you feel disconnected from the wider world?
- 你在回避朋友吗??
- Do you feel “less than” others?
- Are you afraid of feeling judged or rejected?
- Are you avoiding social situations?
If you answer “yes” to any of these, you may benefit from taking proactive measures to forge or strengthen your relationships. It’s important to remember while seeking help that everyone feels lonely at times, and getting help is a sign of strength, 没有弱点.
“Loneliness is not a mark of special social incompetence, 无价值, 或者是某种可悲,史密斯说. “Even your doctors, clergy, partners and friends feel lonely sometimes. What loneliness does mean is that you and the people in your life could benefit from you finding someone to serve, 跟, 对…说句好话, 或者与他人共享空间. The more active you are, the better.”
十大网赌平台推荐卫生 offers assistance for seniors, who are especially prone to isolation, through its 老龄化资源中心. Call 603-653-3460 for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling with loneliness and needs immediate help, contact the 自杀 & 危机的生命线 by texting 988 or calling 800-273-8255.
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十大网赌平台推荐卫生, New Hampshire's only academic health system and the state's largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. 十大网赌平台推荐卫生 provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, 诊所及护理设施. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. 新闻 & 世界报道, and recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. 十大网赌平台推荐健康中心包括 十大网赌平台推荐癌症中心, one of only 56 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; 十大网赌平台推荐健康儿童医院, which includes Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the state’s only children’s hospital, and multiple clinic locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, 基恩和新伦敦, NH, 本宁顿和温莎, VT; Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the 盖泽尔医学院, 十大网赌平台推荐卫生 trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center 在佛蒙特州的白河枢纽. 十大网赌平台推荐卫生 and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, 个人护理.