Loneliness can affect anyone, even in a crowded room. Unlike being alone, which many people enjoy or find productive, loneliness is the emotional experience of feeling isolated or disconnected from others. It can deepen depression and anxiety and may also affect sleep, appetite, energy and physical activity.
The U.S. Surgeon General has called loneliness and social isolation a public health concern. The advisory, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, describes how social connection influences individual health and well-being and calls on communities, health care organizations and individuals to help strengthen connections.
When loneliness becomes a health concern
“Feeling lonely is different from simply being by yourself,” said Kate Penny, program coordinator for Zero Suicide at Atrium Health and a therapist who specializes in suicide prevention. “People can feel lonely even when they are around others because they do not feel supported or connected.”
Young adults and older adults may be especially vulnerable. Young adults may be living on their own for the first time, beginning a job search or adjusting to life without a regular schedule after college. Older adults may face retirement, the loss of a spouse or health changes that make it harder to participate in activities they once enjoyed.
Over time, loneliness can cause people to withdraw further. Warning signs may include staying home more often, pulling back from friends or social media, having trouble sleeping, eating less or no longer caring for themselves as they typically would. Increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope can also signal that someone may need support.
Connection can be protective
Social connection can play an important role in suicide prevention. Having even one trusted person to call during a difficult moment can help someone feel less alone and more able to ask for help.
Through Atrium Health’s Zero Suicide program, teammates follow up with people who have received care on behavioral health units by phone and through letters or cards. Those simple contacts can remind someone that support is available and that another person is thinking of them.
“Connection is an extremely important part of being human,” Penny said. “When people build supportive relationships, they have someone they can reach out to during times of sadness, depression or thoughts of suicide. That connection can make a meaningful difference.”
A bench designed to start a conversation
Through an organization called Team Hope, Penny and other Atrium Health behavioral health teammates partnered with community leaders and others to bring the Charlotte region’s first “Happy to Chat” bench to Cane Creek Park in Union County. A “Happy to Chat” sign lets park visitors know that a person sitting there is open to conversation.
Penny has been part of Team Hope, a coalition working to prevent and reduce adult suicide in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union counties, for about three years. The coalition has focused closely on older adults and the effects of isolation. After learning about Happy to Chat benches in other communities, members explored how the idea could work in North Carolina.
“We thought that placing a bench in a healthy environment, where people go to walk or get fresh air, could help start a conversation and lead to connection,” Penny said.
The initiative is intentionally simple. A shared seat and a willingness to talk can create an opening for neighbors to meet, listen and feel seen. It is not a replacement for professional care, but it is one practical way a community can make connection easier.
Learn more about behavioral and mental health services at Atrium Health.
