How To Fight Loneliness: A (Hopeful) Follow-Up :c)

Hi everyone! Hope everyone is doing well, and is enjoying the arrival of summer. It's been spectacular here in the Boston area so far - which we have more than earned after the hellish winter we endured.

It was very humid here today; I went for my run earlier, and was thoroughly drenched when I finished. Typically this isn't my favorite type of weather, but as I remind myself every day, "At least you don't have to shovel it, Cass." Enough said. :D

On a more serious note, the lovely folks at the Nursing School Hub contacted me recently after reading a recent post here, How To Fight Loneliness. They asked if I could share a thoughtful, inspiring post from their site titled Is Loneliness Lethal? I'm happy and honored to do so.

Among the sobering facts it cites are the following:

• 1 in 3 adults over the age of 45 reported being chronically lonely in a 2010 study, as opposed to 1 in 5 in 2000.
• 1 in 4 say they have no one with whom they can talk about their personal troubles.
• 40% of those surveyed say they feel lonely, compared to 20% in the 1980s.

As the post notes, loneliness has a serious impact on the emotional and physical health of those who suffer from it.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. There are a number of excellent suggestions on what to do to lessen isolation - several of which I can personally vouch for. :D

Please check out Is Loneliness Lethal? when you have a chance; I think you'll be glad you did!

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I can't think of a better song to accompany this serious-but-hopeful post than one of my personal favorites from The Boss - "Two Hearts," from The River (1980):

I never fail to get goosebumps watching Bruce & Steve sing this together at the same mike. As Bruce himself notes, it's proof positive that "it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive." Amen. :D