India boasts of 750 million internet users. In addition to that, we are the most connected and youngest major population in the world. And yet, the loneliness epidemic is rising the fastest in the population that uses the internet the most.
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Every year, millions move for work purposes, living alone in small rented rooms with no family around or even with complete strangers under rotation leases. “The connection through neighbours, cousins, and old friends just doesn’t make its way when migrating,” said Nupoor Mohan, mental health expert and founder of The Full Circle.
Use a listening service, not a therapy service: A listening service provides one-on-one communication where the listener listens empathically without giving advice, which might be needed before going for therapy.
Build third places physically: The workplace is important here, as 78% of generation Z workers prefer working places that foster connections with other people; otherwise, they would leave their job due to the lack of connections.
Analyse your digital diet: If the platform causes comparison and not connection, it adds to the problem, not solves it.
Seek professional help with no shame: Connection is not something you add as a wellness category late in the year. Connection is infrastructure. We must design our businesses for connection like we do for retention or revenues, thoughtfully and before the fissures appear.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Performativity of connection
Being visible online does not equal being seen. People are busy writing, posting and responding, but at the same time feel like they are not visible enough in their own social networks. Visibility has become easy to achieve; intimacy hasn’t.
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About 43% of urban Indians experience loneliness occasionally. 1 out of 6 people experience regular loneliness. According to India’s Longitudinal Aging Study, among the adults aged 45 years and above, 72,000 people in 35 Indian states have reported 20.5% moderate loneliness and another 13% severe loneliness.
In India, loneliness is something that people do not like to admit, especially men, as they should be independent. There is simply no word for it in their language, no social acceptance. According to Noopur, the reason why it’s dangerous is that it’s designed to remain silent. No one would write about their feelings of loneliness, so all the brands and employers keep optimising for what they cannot see.
Chronic loneliness can bring about depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders, even heart disease, and weaken the immune system. In the elderly population, depression makes one more likely to become lonely 6.5 times more likely, and disabled by 6.5 times more than those without depression.
Name it aloud: When you feel lonely, speak to another person about your feelings. It will activate the process of emotional regulation and bonding in your brain.
