One of my favorite websites is Our World in Data. This week, they posted a really interesting analysis of the people with whom we interact on a daily basis over our lifespans. In adolescence, our time is split between friends and family. Young adults and adults in midlife spend time with children, partners, and co-workers. As we age, we spend more time alone.
Does this mean older adults are lonely? Not necessarily. Loneliness is not based on the reality of your connectivity, but rather your perception of it. We have a set point, not unlike our home’s thermostat, that tells us whether we have enough social connectivity. If we perceive a deficit, then we’re lonely. For some people, that means they interact with 599 friends instead of 600, while for others, it means that they interact with one person instead of two.
Undeniably, COVID-19 lockdowns are wreaking havoc with social connectivity for nearly everyone. We are getting creative, like having Zoom Thanksgivings, but the impact of imposed isolation on our well-being is something that psychologists will be studying well into the future.
0 Comments