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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Loneliness
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Tulfes
Shipmate
# 18000
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Posted
There's a lot talked about on loneliness recently. Good thing. One thing strikes me. There doesn't seem to be an age group or life stage not affected. Schoolchildren who are bullied or somehow isolated, excluded teenagers, unemployed youngsters, students away at university, mothers at home with young children, divorced or separated people, people who have lost loved ones, parents whose children have flown the nest, people with mental or physical illnesses which prevent them getting out and about and (most concerning of all) older people. Instead of seeing loneliness as something which strikes particular groups, maybe it is just a part of the human condition which we have to accept and which almost nobody can avoid. Don't be ashamed of it.
Posts: 175 | Registered: Feb 2014
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Tulfes
Shipmate
# 18000
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Posted
There are of course an infinite number of life situations in which loneliness can cast a dark shadow. The list in the OP is not intended to be exhaustive. Apologies for not making that clear.
Posts: 175 | Registered: Feb 2014
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Martin60
Shipmate
# 368
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Posted
It's as lethal as being a heavy smoker.
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Love wins
Posts: 17586 | From: Never Dobunni after all. Corieltauvi after all. Just moved to the capital. | Registered: Jun 2001
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pimple
Ship's Irruption
# 10635
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Martin60:
It's as lethal as being a heavy smoker.
And perhaps, on occasion, just as addictive?
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In other words, just because I made it all up, doesn't mean it isn't true (Reginald Hill)
Posts: 8018 | From: Wonderland | Registered: Nov 2005
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
Not much hope for lonely smokers then.
What was that you said?
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Erroneous Monk
Shipmate
# 10858
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
Not much hope for lonely smokers then.
Of course, smoking is a relatively reliable way of finding sympathetic company, with a ready made ice-breaker for those of us who can never find our lighters in our bags...
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And I shot a man in Tesco, just to watch him die.
Posts: 2950 | From: I cannot tell you, for you are not a friar | Registered: Jan 2006
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
I volunteer with St John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. Both as an assessor for dogs/handlers and as a therapy dog team. Most of our teams visit nursing homes/long term care, and hospital rehabilitation units (stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury etc).
It is absolutely striking how many people are isolated for many days to a week or more, with the hospitalised people seeing a physician at the 7 a.m. rounds for 5 mins, a nurse 3 times per day to pop pills into mouth, the 10 minute physiotherapy appointment, the hour a few times per week with family. The situations are depressing to me as a volunteer visitor. We share the same facilities as the chaplains in hospitals, and they also love the therapy dog visits. I think they are lonely too.
For many seniors, they are parked in front of endless television when in long term care, and if in independent living, have the twice per week social activities of a church service or a sing along time.
It is horrible how we treat people. Locally, we've just seen a kindergarten start-up within an independent living place. Which is about the best idea I've seen in years.
[tangent]
Canada's Supreme Court has just said that doctors assisting people to die is legal and the gov't had better get a law going about it. I expect that the living conditions many chronically ill and seniors are subjected to, will make dying a serious option versus the necessary and costly services to deal with loneliness and the related mental health and psychosocial impacts.
[/tangent]
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
That is one seriously fucked up tangent.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
That is one seriously fucked up tangent.
Sorry! I have people talking to me every month about dying and their quality of life. It isn't my idea. We've also got several care homes under investigation for neglect of residents.
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
No, I meant the circumstance. That conditions which could be bettered might be so bad that people would rather die than suffer through them. It is a damning indictment on our societies.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
Thanks for clarifying. This is one reason that I cannot support the Supreme Court of Canada ruling.
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
\_(ツ)_/
Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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SusanDoris
Incurable Optimist
# 12618
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Posted
Interesting. I was out the other day when someone I know quite well stopped me to say hello, asked how I was and we had a short conversation. This person said something about, 'it's the loneliness' which I realised afterwards probably meant thatsaid person had suffered a bereavement, if so it must have been recent because I did not see the spouse nearby ...
As I do not feel loneliness I said, 'well, not really ... and I've got the discussion forums on the computer. I know I am not lonely, even though I have been alone for a long time.
This adds nothing to the thread, I suppose, but since this person had come up with the word loneliness, I just thought I'd mention it.
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I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
Posts: 3083 | From: UK | Registered: May 2007
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