Sunday, 09 March 2025 04:25

‘One of the most powerful antidotes to loneliness,’ from U.S. Surgeon General

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Every year in January, I tell myself I’ll spend less on dinners out, read more, save money, and just generally embrace being at home — a task which should be easier considering the freezing temperatures. 

None of these goals are necessarily bad, but they might not actually increase my well-being, says U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. In fact, a lot of activities thought of as “self-care” may actually make us more lonely, and isolation is a condition linked to depression, heart disease and even premature death. 

In a 2023 report, Murthy wrote that we have an “obligation, to make the same investments in addressing social connection that we have made in addressing tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis.” 

Especially because young people report some of the highest rates of loneliness.

“There are forces around us that are telling us that the way to fill the emptiness that many of us feel is to focus more and more on ourselves, right?” he recently said on The Oprah Podcast. “To acquire more, to achieve more.”

Murthy suggests focusing on factors outside ourselves instead. Building relationships, engaging in our communities, and acting in service of others, he says, can make us feel less alone.

“When we focus on connecting to something bigger than ourselves, that’s actually when we find joy,” said. “It’s why service is one of the most powerful antidotes to loneliness.”

His advice is a good reminder that being by yourself and thinking about yourself all the time is not a sound strategy for fulfillment. It’s OK, worth the money, and even healthy, for me to prioritize dinners with friends.

 

CNBC

April 09, 2025

5 big distractions that sabotage your entrepreneurial success

Neil Patel Seldom does success come easily in business. Not to be pessimistic, but most…
April 09, 2025

PDP governors challenge Tinubu's Emergency Rule in Rivers at Supreme Court

Eleven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging…
April 10, 2025

Here’s why you keep waking up to urinate in the middle of the night

Jamin Brahmbhatt I’m writing this article at 2 a.m. Not because I suffer from insomnia,…
April 06, 2025

Excavation near site where Jesus was crucified and buried results in ancient discovery

Proof of an ancient garden, consistent with biblical scripture, has emerged at the holiest site…
April 09, 2025

Northwest Nigeria reels under wave of killings and abductions as insecurity worsens

A fresh wave of violence has swept through Nigeria’s Northwest region, with bandits and armed…
April 10, 2025

Here’s the latest as Israel-Hamas war enters Day 552

Hamas quietly cuts Gaza death count, reveals most killed were combat-age men Hamas has revised…
April 10, 2025

FAAN introduces advanced luggage screening at Lagos airport, phases out physical checks

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has discontinued manual luggage screening at Murtala Muhammed…
January 08, 2025

NFF appoints new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.