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Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

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Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#61

Post by chillacy »

pmoriarty wrote: post #32
idle_processor wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mind linking to some of the compelling evidence against CBT?

http://www.psychotherapy.net/interview/bruce-wampold-psychot...

That doesn't say that CBT doesn't help, but that all therapy helps equally:

> With some qualifications. I would put the _differences_ between various types of psychotherapy at very close to zero percent... It turns out that treatment is just as effective without the particular ingredient. ...As long as what they’re doing is believable, accepted, is given by a therapist who’s skilled and believes in the treatment as well, the treatment tends to go well.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#62

Post by chillacy »

ar-nelson wrote: post #46
dragonsky67 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that your observation of peoples behaviour is accurate. Just a bit of background. I'm an introvert, I'm happy in my own space. Too much noise or too many people make me very uncomfortable. Birthdays, for example would have to be up there as one of the worst events of the year only topped by Christmas Parties. So you see, I'm not one for talking to random strangers. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fair…

That doesn't seem typical to me... I've used public transit for years, in both the Seattle area and Massachusetts, and it's rare for anyone to strike up a spontaneous conversation, with me or anyone else. Whenever someone did, they usually seemed a little... odd. Maybe one time out of five it would be an interesting conversation, and that only happened every few months of riding the bus every weekday. The main thing…

I can confirm that seattle is pretty cold on the metro. I did meet an ex-girlfrend at the bus stop, but even then I felt weird chatting on the bus since it's so quiet it feels everyone else is listening in. So yea, public transit in seattle, a bit weird to talk. But airplanes, I'm usually very chatty.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#63

Post by chillacy »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #25
vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

> Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. > Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. I met two strangers today, in the sense of having a long-ish conversati…

If you're starving, those leftovers will have to do. Likewise if you're actually suffering health consequences from being lonely, those boring people will have to do. And over time, meeting 2 people a day (especially doing common activities like startup events or sports), you'd probably eventually meet people you gel with.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#64

Post by [deleted] »

vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

[deleted]

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#65

Post by [deleted] »

vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

[deleted]

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#66

Post by kagamine »

bogomipz wrote: post #22
vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

>"Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one." Its fascinating that you you have chosen to state this as fact without any supporting data. >"Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem." Again based on what, just because you say so? There's an excellent book called "Bowling Alone" that came out in 2000 long before social media. The book traces a phenomenon of declining "social capital" that began i…

> There is big difference between being alone and "feeling alone.

One key indicator over the last 100 years has been: if I get a bad cold and lie in bed for 3 days, will anyone phone or knock on my door? If the answer is no, you might feel very lonely. Going to a coffee shop isn't going to change that.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#67

Post by AstralStorm »

Jabanga wrote: post #13
vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

>But without massive a public investment in psychological health, personalized treatment will remain a luxury solution for those who can afford it. Hopefully with greater automation, we can free up more people to become therapists.

Also liberate people of the money to pay those therapists. /s

I love shortsighted technological solutions to social problems.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#68

Post by icebraining »

losteric wrote: post #57
InternetUser wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Now, the awkward silence never occurs in the first place. It's been entirely replaced by everyone scrolling the feeds on their phones. To start a conversation, you have to proactively interrupt what the person is doing and ask for their attention. That is exactly right. No one can be bothered to exert the effort to carry on a relationship--not when their handheld Internet has an ocean of stuff that's easily more en…

Idleness is dead. We're constantly picking up novel stimuli and concepts, getting triggered by emotional politics/entertainment, and following infinite trends... as soon as our minds are idle, we immediately jump back to the things we've been absorbing, or feel that obsessive itch to scan for new stimuli. What happened to being bored? To doing things, not because they were "cool" or even "fun", but simply because the…

Going out because there was nothing inside, and meeting other bored people, connecting on anything because it was better than nothing?

To me, that's an alien experience. I was and am never bored when I'm alone, I just think and imagine. I only get bored when I have to pay attention to boring stuff that prevents me from drifting off.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#69

Post by kaolti »

speeder wrote: post #53
vinceguidry wrote: post #3

Loneliness is a psychological problem masquerading as a social one. Look, there are people all around us. Neighborhood streets have, what, 50 people on them? People congregate at churches, bars, coffee shops, even Wal-Marts. Loneliness is a self-inflicted problem. I'm not saying that to belittle it, I'm saying it because the reasons most people give for being lonely have nothing to do with the actual reasons. Real, a…

I have to really disagree. I don't have friends... But it is not really a self-inflicted problem, I did tried to strike conversations with random strangers the most I could, be pleasant, whatnot. But the places where I lived, it just didn't worked. 1. My neighbourhood has a race problem, most people there are mixed race but think themselves as black, I am mixed race too, but I look white. Trying to talk to neighbours…

3. - seems like you're around the wrong people.

Re: Study: Loneliness, Social Isolation Greater Health Problem in US Than Obesity

#70

Post by cousin_it »

losteric wrote: post #57
InternetUser wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Now, the awkward silence never occurs in the first place. It's been entirely replaced by everyone scrolling the feeds on their phones. To start a conversation, you have to proactively interrupt what the person is doing and ask for their attention. That is exactly right. No one can be bothered to exert the effort to carry on a relationship--not when their handheld Internet has an ocean of stuff that's easily more en…

Idleness is dead. We're constantly picking up novel stimuli and concepts, getting triggered by emotional politics/entertainment, and following infinite trends... as soon as our minds are idle, we immediately jump back to the things we've been absorbing, or feel that obsessive itch to scan for new stimuli. What happened to being bored? To doing things, not because they were "cool" or even "fun", but simply because the…

Yeah, going offline to get bored and do stuff is a good solution. Joining classes, meetups or workout groups can also work well.
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