Recently, our famous red furry friend tweeted on X, formally known as Twitter, “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” Within 24 hours, the tweet alone had 137 million views and 13.4K replies and responses from people big and small. Responses ranged from “Not gonna lie… I’m tired, Elmo. A lot’s going on” to “Resisting the urge to tell Elmo that I am kinda sad” to “Honestly Elmo. I need a hug.” All topics were covered, from relationship woes to sadness about their football team not making it in the playoffs to dread about the day-to-day grind. Not all responses were negative, and some highlighted people expressing positive feelings and experiences.
Inundated with responses, Elmo’s simple question truly emphasized the need for connection with both your furry friends and your real friends. Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.” This 82-page advisory noted that one in two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness, and that was before the increased isolation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for social connection is imperative and can start with a simple question, as Elmo so simply demonstrated.
Research throughout the years explores the lack of social connection through social isolation and loneliness. The U.S. Surgeon General defines social isolation as “objectively having few social relationships, social roles, group memberships, and infrequent social interaction” and, in contrast, loneliness as “a subjective distressing experience that results from perceived isolation or inadequate meaningful connections.” The lack of this meaningful social connection poses a direct threat to our physical and mental health. Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29% respectively (Holt-Lunstead, et al., 2015), which the advisory compares to that of smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. The link between lack of meaningful social connection and negative individual health outcomes is significant as it relates to the increase in the rate of heart disease, as well as risk of stroke.
So, both the U.S. Surgeon General and Elmo have focused on, albeit in very different ways, the need for social connection. Let’s explore the Surgeon General’s suggestions for ways that we can hold ourselves accountable in improving our connections with others:
• Understand the power of social connection and the consequences of social disconnection by learning how the vital components can impact your relationships, health and well-being — educate yourself!
• Invest time in nurturing your relationships through consistent, frequent and high-quality engagement with others. Take time each day to reach out to a friend or family member.
• Minimize distraction during conversation to increase the quality of the time you spend with others. For instance, don’t check your phone during meals with friends, important conversations and family time.
• Be responsive and supportive, and practice gratitude.
• Participate in social and community groups such as fitness, religious, hobby, professional and community service organizations to foster a sense of belonging and purpose.
• Seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider or the 988 crisis line. LASD’s Psychological Services Bureau (PSB) has licensed psychologists, peer supporters and chaplains who can help with significant social changes in your life — give us a call at (213) 738-3500 for voluntary, confidential services.
While we strive to improve our social connections with others through a variety of interactions and institutions, there is one way to improve connection alone in your own home: the power of the furry friend. Elmo demonstrates this through his puppy, Tango, a brown-and-white floppy-eared dog who loves to dance — hence her name. Furry friends provide companionship and can even improve our own sense of community. Pets can reduce work-related stress while also increasing productivity. Pets help manage anxiety and calm us down. Now more than ever, many people are feeling anxious or struggling with mental health. Pets can help you to be more active. They give you a reason to get outside, get some fresh air and get active, which is proven to improve your mood, sleep and mental health. Lastly, pets provide a sense of togetherness. The bond with a furry friend helps you to not feel alone. Improving social connection and decreasing loneliness enhances goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness — whether with a furry friend or your human friends, too.