Ladner Rotarian Avis Glaze gave this invocation the meeting of Rotary Club of Ladner members on April 8, 2025. In her book, Something Lost, Something Gained, Hilary Clinton stated that in 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, released two landmark advisories that crystalized many of her concerns. The first warned of “a growing epidemic of loneliness and isolation", fueled, in part, by the negative effects of social media, which threatens American's personal health and the health of their de1nocracy. The second showed how heavy social media use among teenagers in driving the increase in depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. In the past, surgeons general have, at crucial moments, sounded the alarm about major crises and threats, such as HIV/AIDS and obesity.
Dr. Murthy adds "Loneliness is so much more than a bad feeling... loneliness and isolation - are public health issues that should be on par with how we think about tobacco and obesity. The data back up the fact that, shockingly, prolonged loneliness has similar adverse health impacts as smoking up to fifteen cigarettes a day.
When people are disconnected from friends, families and communities, their lifetime risk of heart disease, dementia depression and stroke skyrockets. It is also a gateway to substance abuse.
"If you think about loneliness as a deep source of emotional pain, it is not surprising that so many people may look for things to help relieve that pain", Dr, Murthy said.
Researchers have found that loneliness can generate feelings of anger, resentment and even deep paranoia. It diminishes social cohesion and increases political polarization and animosity. By 2018, just 16% of Americans said they felt very attached to their local community. "Unless we address this crisis, Dr. Murthy said, we will continue to splinter and divide until we can no longer stand as a community or a country.
So what, you may be wondering. I believe that many in our community are suffering from this malady. In our deliberations and search for issues to address, let's think of loneliness and isolation and their potential impact on members of our community.