Sharing – How loneliness is killing men
I have two takeaways after reading the rest of the article.
1. Difficult things seem easier when there is someone with us. The lack of friendships can make life seem more difficult than it really is. When life seems too difficult, we might be more likely to give up, or for the stress to have health impacts that lower our life expectancy.
2. The best thing you can do for someone struggling is simply showing up beside them.
Shared Links (weekly) Oct. 9, 2022
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How to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Grooming, with Feather Berkower
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9 more ways to show your friends you love them, recommended by NPR listeners
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Reducing sexual violence could be key in reducing rates of teenage mental ill-health
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Loneliness and unhappiness may accelerate aging faster than smoking
Sharing – Subtle ways to ask someone twice if they’re fine
I like the suggestions. I’ve used some of them, including “Are you sure” and sharing my struggles. It depends on the situation and the relationship I have with the person. A good friend, my spouse, someone I feel comfortable with already? I’m making sure they are OK when I suspect they might not be. Someone I work with or don’t have that kind of relationship with, and maybe I share a bit about my struggles or offer to listen if they need someone to talk to.
Any of the suggestions can work or not work. The important thing is that maybe that extra question lets someone know they are not alone, which can make all the difference.
Sharing – Adult Loneliness Is Linked to Childhood Trauma
I’ve felt this and I’ve talked about it many times before. Children forced to deal with a lot of trauma do that instead of learning about our place in the world, and in respect to other people. So would this be any surprise?