When you think back to 2020, it’s easy to remember how lonely the pandemic made everyone. Loneliness is extremely personal, and others often don’t understand what’s wrong or how to help. And it existed before COVID-19 as part of a budding loneliness epidemic.
But when you add fuel to an already burning fire, the flames spread. See how the pandemic exacerbated feelings of loneliness and consider the ways it continues to affect people around the world.
How the COVID-19 pandemic caused loneliness to persist
You’ve probably flashed back to the “before times” often enough by now. Going to the mall to window-shop, stopping for a soft pretzel and talking to the vendor. Little things like this were enough to put a smile on your face, but COVID-19 changed the picture.
An unfortunate byproduct of COVID-19 was chronic loneliness and social isolation. Suddenly, the desire to stroll through the mall was replaced by fear of contracting the virus and staying home—and in many cases, extended to engaging in important matters like health care.
Cigna began looking at the loneliness epidemic back in 2018, reporting that 54 percent of U.S. adults experienced loneliness. But during the pandemic, those numbers climbed, having such dire consequences as worsening health outcomes. Despite a few ebbs and flows, 58 percent of U.S. adults are now considered lonely. This shows how all the shifts in daily life impacted us more than we may realize.
Lockdowns
COVID-19 brought life as it once was to a screeching halt — as friends, family and even doctors became voices on the phone or faces on a screen. Lockdown made it harder to access adequate health resources, impacting health outcomes and overall well-being. And on top of this, groups that thrive on in-person connection — especially the elderly as well as youth who would usually attend school in-person— got lost in that shuffle.
Social distancing
So close, yet so far away. Six feet of distance seems like a mile when you’re staying in a personal bubble, and it has real effects on both our brains and overall health. In fact, physical contact reduces inflammation, pain and stress. That’s because it provides social support, stimulating brain activity to protect individuals physiologically and emotionally.
Social distancing flipped the script, depriving people of what their minds and bodies crave. Without that contact, they were not only more lonely, their brains were less able to emotionally regulate and their health was more vulnerable.
Remote learning and working
Between the technological innovation that was in the works before the pandemic and the need for technology during the crisis, people are more technologically connected than ever. Mobile devices, social media, and Zoom not only kept us in touch, but also enabled remote schooling and work. So why would loneliness continue to rise?
Remote life leaves noticeable gaps between the social lives people want and the ones they have. When you don’t have colleagues around you for water-cooler conversations or aren’t in school, it’s easy to feel disconnected from social groups.
Screening and social infrastructure could reduce loneliness
Many elements triggered the loneliness epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there must be ways to find calm after the storm. Support from key sources could be the difference.
As prominent social agents, employers, schools, and health plans have the power to reduce loneliness. For instance, imagine the benefits of regular check-ins with employees. But on a wider scale, screening for loneliness — such as through the UCLA Loneliness Scale — can support health plans, employers and schools as they strive to connect individuals with social support and medical resources
How loneliness is continuing post-pandemic
For arguably most of the world, the lockdown phase of the pandemic is over. People are out and about again, regulations have lifted, and we’re trying to settle into normalcy. But that doesn’t mean life is perfect. Even before COVID-19, a loneliness epidemic loomed. In 2018, nearly half of Americans reported feeling lonely. This feeling has continued; during the pandemic, over one in three Americans faced “serious loneliness,” and various trends have become clear in the aftermath.
Loneliness across demographics
Loneliness is universal, but different groups experience it in their own ways. As the world picks up the pieces, we see clear differences across demographics. So how lonely are people now?
Let’s start with the smallest change: gendered differences. In 2019, 63 percent of men were lonely compared to 58 percent of women. In post-pandemic life, men and women have a similar likelihood of loneliness — 57 and 59 percent, respectively.
Widening the gap further, minorities are lonelier today. Before the pandemic, all racial and ethnic groups had similar rates of loneliness. However, 75 percent of Hispanic adults and 68 percent of African American adults are lonely now.
And we can’t forget about the struggles of managing children during a crisis. Parents and guardians are more likely to be lonely than non-parents today. About 65 percent of parents and guardians identify as lonely compared to 55 percent of non-parents who feel the same way.
Lasting impacts
Phrases such as “new normal” may sound cliché by now, but we can’t ignore how COVID-19 and the loneliness epidemic continue to affect people. Emerging from pandemic life, many people feel lingering stressors from the ordeal, from insomnia, anger, and irritability to post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression.
And it’s harder than you might think to reintegrate back into relationships, workplaces, and society. Employee productivity is down: Just 47 percent of lonely employees can work efficiently compared to 64 percent of non-lonely employees. Plus, prolonged social isolation has made people distrust others, becoming hypervigilant and seeing new people as threatening.
Help members overcome the loneliness epidemic
There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a budding loneliness epidemic, between lockdown protocols, social distancing, and remote life. Society continues to grapple with the aftereffects and settle into new ways of life, and we’ll come out stronger over time, but finding the right strategies to do that is a challenge.
Pyx Health is here to help. Our compassionate and human-centered app connects to health plans and employers, offering unique activities to serve members. Plus, our supportive ANDYs provide resources and re-engage members to reduce their loneliness. Learn how to get your members over the COVID-19 loneliness hurdle — see how Pyx Health enhances member engagement.
