Loneliness, Depression, Suicide
"You don't have to be a doctor to recognize the connection between
loneliness and suicide."
Social isolation is the strongest and most reliable
predictor of suicidal behavior.
Almost
all mass murderers, most suicides, and many street crimes are caused by lonely,
depressed, despairing, socially isolated human beings. We are raising a sick society.
According to the Surgeon General's report on the epidemic
of loneliness, in 1960, single-person
households accounted for only 13% of all U.S. households. In 2022, that number
more than doubled to 29% of all households. Almost a third of householders are
without a life partner.
Suicide
is the second leading cause of death in young people. Among
18-to-24-year-olds surveyed in 2020, the CDC said, about 25 percent had
seriously considered suicide. Suicide accounts for over two-thirds of the
yearly 32,000 firearms deaths in the United States. Suicides
are an end-stage of depression.
'An
Epidemic of Loneliness and Despair': How Wisdom Can Help
When
we think of lonely people, we often think of old people. Who is empirically
most at risk of being lonely? 162,000 Americans die yearly from loneliness
and social isolation. That is greater than the number of Americans who die
annually from lung cancer or stroke.
Loneliness is common
across the board. Something to keep in mind is that, especially in recent
years, the level of stress, loneliness, and suicides has increased, especially in younger people, including teenagers. Loneliness is
expected at all ages; however, there are some ages at which it peaks. There are
three peaks: people in their late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s."
It isn't just
socially isolated teens who face miserable lives of loneliness and depression.
Loneliness acts as "a lethal behavioral toxin in our society."
"I miss me. The old me, the happy me, the
bright me, the smiling me, the laughing me, the gone me."
Several of my
acquaintances, family members, and classmates committed suicide. Suicide by
gun, hanging, jumping, drugs. Suicide by young people continues at an
ever-increasing rate.
People without Love,
Belonging, Friendship, Family, and Sex cannot thrive.
People with low
satisfaction with life are 24 times as likely to commit suicide. Loneliness,
depression, and despair are horrible ways to live. Human beings disenfranchised
from our couple-based society live in misery. A
major source of loneliness and depression is the lack of a sexual partner.
All
people are sexual. Human beings are sexual from the time they are born until
they die. It is natural to express sexual feelings in a variety of ways. People
engage in healthy sexual behavior for a variety of reasons, including to express caring and love, to experience intimacy and
connection with another, to share pleasure, to bring new life into the world,
and to experience fun and relaxation. Every one of the 8 billion people on our
planet was produced by couples having sex. Each of us is the result of 700,000
of our ancestors having sex in the 350,000 matings that preceded the one that produced us.
Sex
is a biological driver of every person's life. The interpersonal skills and
relationships a human develops from childhood start
with sex. Sex > Couple > Family > Society. Sex is the
forerunner of Love and the couple. Without the couple, there is no family. An
individual not part of a couple and family cannot fully participate in society.
He does not feel part of a community or relate to
others who are coupled. Sex is the biggest something in all our lives.
Love - Belonging - Friendship - Family
- Sexual Intimacy are essential for a thriving human life
I believe that most cases
of loneliness, depression, misery, suicide, and mass murder would be prevented
by effective parenting,
sex ed, and programs to reduce social ineptitude, isolation, and rejection. Teen Depression is on the rise. Here are two recent
discussions: Why American Teens Are So Sad (April 2022, The Atlantic) and Gun Violence and the Deep Sadness of Our Teens (Bishop Baron July 2022). Both avoid mention of the
"elephant in the room" Social Isolation and Sex. The problem of teen
depression is not going away until society starts discussing and addressing a
major cause: failure
to nurture sexuality and pair bonding. “Depression by
2020 will be the second most common cause of morbidity. Sexuality is the
ultimate union of mind and body. Depression and sexual dysfunction are the most
commonly associated co-morbities.
Sexual functioning is
one of the key determinants of quality of life ” (31 reference sources)
People in a loving, intimate relationship are not likely to
commit suicide.
Or go out and massacre little kids
with their AR-15 toy.
Twenty-nine million American
adults (11% of the adult population) have never had sex. That is a humanitarian
tragedy and a national disgrace. No other people (except maybe Vatican City)
raise their children so stupidly.
See: Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Education
Online dating allows individuals to
find and contact each other online. It usually involves creating a profile on a
dating website, then using its features to search for and communicate with
potential partners. This can include sending messages, sharing photos and
videos, and sometimes, video chatting. The goal is to
build a romantic relationship or find a compatible match.
Dating Apps simplify and speed up the
process of sifting through potential dating partners,
chatting, flirting, and potentially meeting or becoming romantically involved.
Online dating apps are now
mainstream in the U.S. As of 2017, online dating is the number one method by
which new couples in the U.S. meet. The percentage of couples
meeting online is predicted to increase to 70% by 2040. This is serious business. It is not just flipping pictures left and
right.
These services reduce the number of
people living in lonely misery. Parents, schools, churches, and communities
should encourage their use and instruct on the dangers. Most couples are formed
through these apps.
Here is a comparison chart of
dating services. It is bewilderingly huge. Press the "Registered
users" sort arrow to sort by popularity.
Seniors
Loneliness, Depression, and Misery afflict many senior citizens without
partners. Here is an article on dating services for the elderly
that might help. "Regardless of where you live, you can connect online to
find relationships with other seniors."
2/25/2025 7:58 AM