According to Norlina Ahmad, loneliness is a trigger for a number of illnesses in addition to simply being the absence of a companion.
The 35-year-old copywriter claimed to have had a very small social life and few friends since she was a young child.
I’m 35 years old, single, and haven’t found true love yet. I don’t have friends to hang out with outside of work because the majority of my friends got married before they turned thirty,” the woman remarked.
“I simply balance work and home life.” I believe it to be true that heartbreak can cause a person to pass away.
According to Norlina, her diagnosis of depression stemmed from her loneliness.
I had restless nights and a host of health problems as a result of the continuous rumination, such as exhaustion and weakened immunity.
“I got fever all the time as a result,” she claimed.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised social isolation and loneliness as a threat to global public health and recently established a commission on social connection.The commission’s head, US Surgeon-General Dr. Vivek Murthy, stated that loneliness poses health risks comparable to those of smoking fifteen cigarettes a day, if not greater than those brought on by obesity and inactivity.
It’s a timely move, according to Datuk Dr. Andrew Mohanraj, president of the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA). He also noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, the acute effects of social isolation and loneliness were more “painfully felt.”
In addition to psychological decompensation, social isolation, according to him, would also lead to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. It would also worsen physical health, especially in relation to cardiovascular disease and dementia, and it might even cause premature deaths.
The growing elderly population in Malaysia raises important questions about loneliness and social isolation.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan bravely appointed a minister to investigate loneliness and isolation.
“Ministers in other countries have junior positions overseeing mental health and well-being, realising that the social determinants of mental health can have a greater impact than the widely accepted medical approach,” Dr. Andrew continued.
He asked the government to investigate the possibility of establishing a platform at the national level to address the issue.
Given that social welfare is under the jurisdiction of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, he suggested that this might involve a multi-agency, cross-sector approach.
“We should not take social isolation and loneliness lightly in our efforts to build a caring and cohesive society,” he stated.
During the pandemic lockdowns, social interactions were severely restricted, according to Prof. Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a health economics and public health specialist from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
She claimed that because people are social beings, these exchanges are essential.
Some generations, like the elderly and single parents, may have to support themselves and live apart from other family members.
“They won’t receive visits or assistance from other community members if they live alone,” the woman stated.
Prof. Sharifa Ezat cited studies to support her claim that people who experience extreme loneliness have four times as many suicide thoughts.
Depression, unresolved stress, self-harm, impaired cognitive function, early mortality, ill health, and suicidal thoughts are all associated with loneliness.
“Loneliness is one of the many factors that contribute to suicide cases that have occurred in Malaysia,” she said.
