A friend recently joked with me that sometimes she feels so lonely from social isolation these days- she is among the 40% of employed Americans who have been working from home for almost a year- that she actually looks forward to talking with telephone solicitors. Fortunately, so far she’s resisted giving them her social security number or the urge to take advantage of that once in a lifetime opportunity to buy the next can’t miss stock at rock bottom prices!
My friend is lightheartedly addressing a fundamental human need – connectedness – and the problems she and many other are experiencing when the frequency, number and quality of contacts with family, friends and our communities are restricted. This social isolation negatively affects peoples’ mental health and wellbeing and makes difficult times much worse.
Loneliness and social isolation have been growing problems in modern society (despite social media) that have been made worse and more common by the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic is highlighting social isolation as one of many aspects of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). SDOH are the conditions in environments where people are born, live, learn, play, work, worship and age. These social conditions influence a wide range of health risks, healthcare cost and quality of life factors.
Professional Social Workers have long understood the importance of the environment in supporting or detracting from people’s wellbeing and the achievement of their potential. More recently, awareness of the vital role of SDOH has gained traction in the larger healthcare community and that knowledge is affecting governmental policies and public health planning. But improving peoples’ environment is a complex challenge in the best of times. Adding COVID-19 to the equation presents a formidable mental health challenge.
Even before the pandemic, social isolation was widely known to negatively affect the health and wellbeing of vulnerable groups. Examples of these groups include seniors or professional truck drivers who spend days and weeks on the road and away from their families and communities. But since the pandemic, social isolation has affected many more people.
The stress of social isolation might make life’s expectable challenges more daunting for the most resourceful of us. For others, it can make such challenges insurmountable. Think of the 50 million Americans and their families who live with some type of mental health condition. Or the 20 million adults who are misusing alcohol or other drugs, or who are in recovery and pursuing a new drug-free lifestyle. Or the 20% of parents who have special needs children. Or the millions of people experiencing job loss or relationship difficulties. If you’re not one of these people, you most likely know someone who falls in at least one of these categories.
At Espyr, we recognize social isolation as part of the national landscape. We don’t expect the issues of social isolation to go away in the post-pandemic future. We have carefully designed services to address the issue. We provide services that enable people to speak with licensed mental health counselors easily and without appointments for in-the-moment support. We have services that provide easy access to health coaches and to engaging interactive mobile apps. And, we have developed a number of targeted educational programs. We even offer cutting edge artificial intelligence-enabled chatbots whose support can be even more helpful than texting a friend.
If you are a leader of a business or a human resource professional or a health and wellness benefits manager, now would be a great time to give some thought to the issue of social isolation. Then examine what your organization is providing to your most valuable resource- your employees- to help them with their struggles around social isolation.
Norman Winegar, LCSW, CEAP, NCAC II is the Chief Clinical Officer at Espyr. For over 30 years, Norman has practiced in mental health, substance misuse, and EAP settings. He has also worked in leadership positions in both public and private sector behavioral health organizations. An author of four books, he is frequently called on for presentations and as a panelist to share his expertise and experience as a mental health professional.
For over 30 years Espyr, has provided innovative mental health solutions to organizations operating under some of the most challenging conditions. Espyr’s portfolio of customized counseling, coaching and consulting solutions help people and organizations achieve their full potential by providing mental health support and driving positive behavioral change. For more information on how Espyr can help your organization, call Espyr at 888-570-3479 or click here.
Journal of the American Medical Association
JAMA Forum Feb 9, 2021
Social Isolation and Loneliness: Imperatives for Health Care in a Post-COVID World
Eve Escalante, MSW, LCSW, et al
JAMA. 2021;325(6):520-521. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.0100