20 September 2019, Kathmandu
Before a few months back, I found one woman who was captured in a social media site sharing her story that she frequently does the unusual thing nowadays. People around her were so much surprised for doing such silly activities thinking that she is having mental illness. However, it is quite surprising to listen the reason from that woman. She is doing so to kill her only loneliness so that might be the strangers too will come and visit her.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mother Teresa famous quotation “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved. If you judge people, you have no time to love them. What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” Stating Mother Teresa quote, Loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation. It typically comprises anxious feelings about a lack of connection or communication with other beings, both in present and extending into the future. Loneliness has also been described as social pain that always fosters people to seek for social connections.
There are many reasons behind loneliness often associated with older people. In fact most people are experiencing loneliness most or all of the time including children and the young people as well. Recent research suggests that young people actually feel loneliness more intensely and more frequently than any other age group. Loneliness, on the other hand, is creating serious negative effects on our health and wellbeing. It has been linked to poor physical health and mental health. The causes of loneliness are varied and include social, mental, emotional and physical factors. So far, loneliness is prevalent throughout society including people in marriages, relationships, families, veterans and even those successful careers.
Modern life is making us lonelier and research indicated that this may be the biggest problem as chronic disease that people will face in future. The increasing risk of coronary heart disease, depression, nostalgia, stroke and premature health is commonly seen today. Thus, changes in modern society is considered to be the cause. We live in nuclear family units, often living large distances away from our extended family and friends, and our growing reliance on social technology rather than face to face interaction is thought to be making us feel more isolated. It means we feel less connected to others and our relationships are becoming more superficial and less rewarding. Most importantly, family value should be place at forefront being in direct contact with family and loved ones. The growing dependency on social media should be controlled but connected in real life. One should generally give a break to own self practicing self-compassion.