Loneliness affects everyone at different times. Although it is well documented men are less likely than women to talk about feelings and to seek help, our research found men’s work arrangements can be a significant contributor. We found loneliness was highest among men in their late 40s but it also occurred at other times, often Read more
“An Easter of Solitude”: This is how Pope Francis, standing alone in an empty St. Peter’s Basilica, described what the holiest day of the year would look like for many Catholics as the coronavirus pandemic forced churches to close and their members to stay at home. As the pope was speaking, Mariana Scavo, 32, ate Read more
A focus on reducing death by suicide among young people is ageist and misleading, an expert in mental health among the elderly says. Associate Professor Yoram Barak said a recent Otago University study showed rates of death by suicide for men aged over 85 in the past 10 years were similar to those among younger Read more
New Zealand-born author Father Gerald Arbuckle’s most recent book, Loneliness Insights for Healing in a Fragmented World has been included by the Spirituality and Practice website among the 50 best spiritual books of 2018. Arbuckle is noted scholar in both theology and anthropology. He is the author of many books, the most recent being: Laughing with God: Humor, Read more
Politicians being politicians have sought technocratic solutions: earlier this year, the UK introduced a minister for loneliness and now Fiona Patten, a Victorian upper house MP (Australia) and leader of the Reason party, has proposed the state government do the same. The minister would, it’s been suggested, work across the health, infrastructure, justice and communities Read more
As Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera sang: “Nobody wants to be lonely.” But loneliness is more than just missing spending time with your friends. Research has found that loneliness can have a negative impact on a person’s health as significant as the effect of “smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” While loneliness is increasing in numbers Read more
On August 24, 1992, in the early hours of the morning, my family and I stepped out of our temporary shelter to find our city — and our lives — forever changed. We had spent the past several hours huddled together as Hurricane Andrew battered our South Florida neighborhood with torrential rain and winds near Read more
Let’s start with the moment I realized I was already a loser, which was just after I was more or less told that I was destined to become one. I’d been summoned to an editor’s office at the Globe Magazine with the old “We have a story we think you’d be perfect for.” This is Read more
If there is an irrepressible human trait it’s the determination, against all odds, to reconnect. Though governments seek to atomise and rule, we will keep finding ways to come together. Our social brains forbid any other outcome. They urge us to reach out, even when the world seems hostile. This is the conclusion I draw Read more
What greater indictment of a system could there be than an epidemic of mental illness? Yet plagues of anxiety, stress, depression, social phobia, eating disorders, self-harm and loneliness now strike people down all over the world. The latest, catastrophic figures for children’s mental health in England reflect a global crisis. There are plenty of secondary Read more