Even before the pandemic hit us with a huge storm of Isolation, especially for Seniors in senior living facilities across the world, a study was done. What does isolation or loneliness do to our overall health, mentally and physically? In my daily pursuit to combat dis-ease, meaning anything that gets in the way of feeling hopeful, courageous to try new things, living life full-out, sharing our hearts and hurts to help others, and reaching out ourselves for help towards total well-being, here I am thinking about lighting up and stepping outside for a smoke.
There’s a “smoking 15 cigarettes a day” study, done in 2018, which remains evergreen. Loneliness certainly hasn’t changed in the last centuries – same look different day. It shows Lonely People (capped for a reason because I believe catching Lonely is in pandemic proportions across the world) are 50% more likely to die prematurely than those with healthy social connections. FIFTEY PERCENT! In fact, intense loneliness has been studied to equal smoking 15 cigarettes a day – havoc to the physical body over time, slow death.
I’m fascinated with this because growing up in a Funeral Home (my dad was a Funeral Director) I could not understand why people would do things to themselves that are known to kill you early. Until, I grew up and understood addiction’s power and wisely, not to speak or pass judgement unless I had any clear help to add or compassion for life’s struggles and conditions of the heart. So here I am combating Loneliness and getting involved in what I CAN change using fitness as a weapon for seniors or those in rehab at any age to kill Loneliness Dis-Ease, and offer Social Connections.
I’ve also experienced from over 20 or more senior couples in which I’ve been acquainted, or even family, that people can and do die of Heart Break. These are people that have died closely in time from when their loved one passed, despite the surviving senior being overall healthy. I have seen first-hand and can speak out loud if you were next to me, I would say with conviction and truth “Heart Break Kills”.
Rejection, loss, grief. I hate them, so I fight them. I suppose I could speak more about grief since most of the people in my speaking demographic are seniors who have moved into Senior Living Communities because of loss, death, lack of physical agility, or mental changes and more. So, overall, aren’t we talking about The Biggest Break Up possible? Here’s another 2019 study about what happens to our bodies when we experience a profound break up.
What Heals? Social Community, Purpose, Hope, Connection, Prayer. It’s proven that physical changes from heart break at any age manifests physically, and of course mentally. Love hurts, (more studies in neuroscience) but Love also heals. Wild doses of Love can change everything. Love Dealers. Perhaps this is why we, a Senior or not, know that when we’ve been assaulted by love loss or shocking change, we grab our hearts or chest and we can literally feel the pain, or “speaking from the heart.”
“This tells us how serious rejection can be sometimes. When people are saying ‘I really feel in pain about this breakup,’ you don’t want to trivialize it and dismiss it by saying ‘It’s all in your mind.’ Our ultimate goal is to see what kind of therapeutic approach might be useful in relieving the pain of rejection. From everyday experience, rejection seems to be one of the most painful things we experience. It seems the feelings of rejection can be sustained even longer than being angry.” Edward E. Smith, director of cognitive neuroscience at Columbia University
Diving into the studies jets me into adding as much cure for Loneliness as I can. Got lungs? At some point, we will be shot by hurt and the human condition – loss and pain over our lifetime. But then, there’s you! Making a difference. You’re someone that reaches out – even to a stranger to help, to show kindness, care with a HUGE return of investment in your own health.
We are all selfish, if you’re not, you’re fibbing! I speak this as when we help others, it feels good to us. There’s a payoff for us physically and mentally and it also gets our minds off of our own complaints or struggles that are out of our control anyway. Even biblically Jesus says, “go ahead and help others and your reward will be great.” “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17
Who is the poor? Lonely people. Me and you. We’re all lonely at times, except you right now, you’re off to go Deal Love. I’m not affiliated with any group, just my own thoughts but did you see there’s Secret Service Agents combatting Loneliness in the world? Mission of The Month: Very cool.
Isolation Study: *https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/americas-loneliness-epidemic-is-more-lethal-than-smoking-heres-what-you-can-do-to-combat-isolation.html
https://www.insider.com/why-do-breakups-hurt-so-much-2019-2
Love Hurts: *https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/220427#1
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