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So no matter why you call out you 0 will bring you the news and current affairs. The houses in here the. So today i want to talk about something millions of people can relate to and that is the, i have no friends trends. Im 2016 years old, and i dont have any friends issues. Well, we all try a little so terrified a with edlio. So would it be a little late to earth . Maybe im going to be alone. Ive thought to myself, hey, you know, like when you get to this age, you just dont have friends anymore. And its kind of a hard realization to come to, but it just seem normal. No one wants to go online to mix the rest of the while that they have no friends. Its kind of embarrassing and to be honest, is something ive heard lots of shame i but its something that ive tried to hide in my realize thats just a sample of what some people on social media are confessing to that they have no friends. Hi, and welcome to the stream where we are old friends, and im heidi joe castro. Today the loneliness crisis. Technology has allow people to connect in more ways than ever, but loneliness is on the rise. Well look at why Public Health experts believe the problem has reached epidemic levels. With us to talk about loneliness in the us state of utah, julian, hold on stat, professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the social connection and health lab at Brigham Young university. In the state of washington, lucy of my, hes weinberg director of the university of washingtons International Adolescent Connection and Technology Laboratory and in london carry hobson founder and director of the neighborly lab. And since were talking about Human Connections today, here is your chance to connect with us. Please jump into our youtube chat with your questions and your thoughts. Guess thank you so much for joining us for this important discussion. I want to start with you harry. The loneliness we just saw displayed on those social media clips. Is that hype is that just something more people are talking about, or is this a real problem . A hi id. Um, its a better face. Its, its, its a very real thing. Im based in london according to size here, about 8 percent of the population is about 700000 people say that that always officer lady. So thats about 700000 people. Just an associate. Wow. So its a big real settings to be a lady. Next, theres no doubts about that. Um certainly, uh, the way its been expressed by the young people we just sold on that cuz it shows that you actually said people speaking up much more about sets of people. Are they much more open and frank about it . Which im sure is a good thing. Yeah, thats certainly the 1st step. You talked about the u. K. In the us, there is specific evidence of loneliness as a pandemic. Julianne you are the lead scientific editor of a recently published us Surgeon General advisory, which i have here on my computer. Its titled our epidemic of loneliness and isolation. And further down it says that lacking social connection is as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes. A day and if and if, and if found that poor social connections is linked to Real Health Outcomes like heart disease, stroke the, the risk of developing dementia. Julian, just how serious are these warnings . Yeah, so you know, when we take both the trends of significant portions of population that are lacking, connection in, in one way or, or even multiple ways along with these serious kinds of health consequences. And the implications for Public Health are tremendous. Um in ill just give you an example of loneliness increases risk for earlier death by 26 percent. So social isolation by 29 percent living alone by 32 percent. But the good news is that those who are more socially connected have an increase of the survival by 50 percent. And so what we know is that humans are our social beings. Were, were, this is thought to be a fundamental human need to connect. And so its not surprising that when we lack this connection that have significant impacts on, on our body, our physiology, that ultimately lead to some of these poor health outcomes. Yeah. Well see a, the pandemic, of course, aggravated this. Can you tell me what that impact was . There its only im, i focus, especially in young people, out of lessons between the ages of 10 now to 2425. And unfortunately, what many of us have felt during the make is rebuilding the date. The were seeing increases in only mazda increases and levels of social connectedness and social, so forth and young people, as i. And we are also saying social media as the best thing to do, a lifeline that allowed us to stay connected in a, in the face of the lack of in person interactions, the closure of schools. Mm hm. So definitely a problem that we were seeing before. The make that has definitely been confounded and thats sure to gather over attention. Yeah, im glad you brought up young people, but adults 2 are experiencing those. And we also have some numbers to support that. On my computer, i have a report from Forbes Health that found 59 percent of us adults find it harder to form relationships since colvin and when asked, what are you most nervous about when socializing . Well, the, the, the most number of people 29 percent said not knowing what to say or how to interact. Then. Is it a simplification to say that this pandemic basically helped us, or allowed us to forget how to socialize a hi. Um hi. Uh i do. Yes. I got a couple of great things um, discussed about this one to um have a quick thoughts about kind of from my point of view, kind of what learning this is like. Um its cuz i think i compete. You welcome this, this amazing report. Im massaging general about equally. I think its important up to kind of a standard size that you know. So i think it is an old tree every day, thoughts of life for all of us at different times in our lives. And i just think its this thing particularly for the young or for the old. I think its any of us can become somebody that would be. And its particularly a times of change with transition or disjunction, when, when life becomes very difficult, really starting to a and especially what you dont have with people around you. So youre used to having to support you. So that can be people to big changes going on in their lives. People have moving to a new place and its particularly for people who a certain go or live alone, who, who are particularly kind of susceptible to savannah. That would be nice. Thank you. So i just think its kind of important to realize its not about it. We used to think of it as i said, and especially for older people, more recently, just got some attention on younger people that but actually i think its best about age and more about like stuck and stuff so that they will wont be able to think about that and well, ill just jump in. Um i, i couldnt agree more. Um, you know, as i mentioned, that social connection is a fundamental human need. And so its part of the Human Experience. And you know its, its much like hunger and thirst and, and know its, its biological drive to help us motivate us, to reconnect socially, to meet this biological need. And so its perfectly natural and part of the Human Experience to feel loneliness from time to time. But when people get stuck in it and it, because persistent and severe over time is when we often and feel or see some of these severe kinds of effects. But im jumping back to, to the video and, and what you just mentioned. I also recently fos, of data that showed that google searches on, on how to make friends are at a 20 year high. Wow. Wow. And so it, you know, it, i think it really shows that not only are people you know hungry, so to speak, to connect, but are also feeling like maybe they dont have the adequate tools in order to do so. Yeah, lucy, i wanted to have you talk a little bit too about your research in latin america because we certainly dont want to make it seem like this. Loneliness problem is just the global north. But in fact, gal of research did as an estimate, that in 2021 if found more than 300000000 people globally, dont have a single friend who see it. How have you seen that playing out in latin america . Both serious and we. I think it is a global trend that were seeing. I think theres differences in culture that might then for some of these effect left in america. In general, it tends to be more collectivistic farming area that societies where i think there might be some protective factors that were seeing play out. Mm hm. And, and 11 thing that i do want to bring up is that in studying on the lessons of we in development, talk about sensitive periods, right . So, very early in life, its a key sensitive therapy to learn, to speak a language, for example. And we now know that our lesson is a key sensitive period for learning how to build relationships have to foster them. So either worry about the fact of, of many children or lessons who left school for 3 years lived in america for example, had in countries i work with all full 3 years over many of the education where kids have not been able to practice their skills. Because their skills can be learned can be taught and should be practice. So its not surprising to me that young people are asking online, how do i make friends that theyre insuring certain of how to now socialize and interact . I think its a concern that we are hearing from our undergraduate students as well coming back so. So thats gonna be very much thinking of how we can scaffold and support uh, these skills and social Emotional Learning in young people and for everyone, right. Its a skill that we can all learn and practice. And its interesting that these queries are being asked on Google Technology here. It has helped us and perhaps it has made us more lonely in some ways that as a point of debate among researchers. Lets hear from susan, match a history professor at webber state university. Ironically, such technologies may actually make our loneliness words psychologist leticia and pep out of u. C. L. A. In the 1980 suggested that loneliness was the feeling when experienced when you have an expectation of so many friends and the reality of a fewer number. So its the gap between how many you want to have and how many you actually have. Social media encourages police that you can have an incident number of friends. And its that believe and that inability to ever rise up as high as you want. And the number of friends that may heighten our experience of loneliness. Harry, i think theres a, uh, a tendency in social media to make us think that we need constant social affirmation. That might not be such a good thing. You know . Yes. Right. I think theres 2 reasons why social media kind of has this, the facts, if you will, then its conceptual comparison. In other words, advising us to compare ourselves often and favorably with people. And the reason why god has had such a harsh effects on us, and especially perhaps that for teenagers is the status that is part is for 2 reasons. First of all, the stuff that people post on line is that you felt that obviously people, if you go into instagram, facebook, what you seem to see is everybody having a break in time. Everybody was that problem is everybody, the thing busy looking smiley. So thats bound to get people the sense of kind of negative self perception by comparison. And then i think another reason is go to the times when we perhaps go too far down that route, the code of social media or specific times movements in your day or in your life when you are on your right by state and perhaps a bit down or a bit like moods and feel protect to be kind of susceptible to vulnerable to the effects about kind of hard to keep sexual comparison. Yeah, so thats why um, social media can help us kind of ready pernicious effects. I think. Yeah. And particularly of young people, go ahead and see me and i think its very important that we actually measure and know what people are doing on social media because i think we have for a long time just focusing hours in front of a screen, which is not a great characterization of what were doing on line. So if im spending 30 minutes on a website goal with my very close friends, that is going to really build towards this meaningful connections, right . But if im just passively scrolling through instagram, for example, without interacting with friends, just comparing myself to others, then that is going to have negative impacts and loneliness. And thats exactly what were finding in our own research, right . When were measuring, fussing him online experiences. That actually associates with less loneliness compared to when were measured negative one line experiences which relates to higher levels of loneliness. Yeah, it is certainly not that simple, right. So there are so many different types go ahead. Julian was just going to add because of course, you know, i fully agree that we need to Pay Attention to how time is used. But i also think we shouldnt entirely dismissive because many of these tools are designed specifically to keep our attention. Um and, and, and so we have to think about, to what extent is this displacing other valued activities, including things like interacting with others in person. And so, um, you know, it becomes incredibly complex, of course. Uh, but, but something we shouldnt neglect to consider. Absolutely. And on that now, perhaps taking this to uh, further extreme, the role of Artificial Intelligence. I can Artificial Intelligence actually replace the void of no friends. I mean, it might seem like a silly question, but some people have, i tried to turn to a i, when they feel only for, and one example in japan, the sale of robot pets boomed during the pandemic. Of course this was during the walk down and, and this helped people harry, i mean they, theyre very cute these uh list. Yeah. Me so, but yeah, but i, i probably shouldnt be my only friend should it. And probably not, not as, um i um, yeah, i mean its, its funny saying these robots and in some ways you can think of them as existing on a continuum through from dogs and companion animals that weve always had um, through to toys get way pops up in childhood as companions, and these kind of things are almost more like toys, id say that and i always voiced or some kind of mix of bass. Um yeah, i mean im, im, i think, i, i mean do it, 1st of all thats to speak to pete. The cat is no substitute for human interaction. So social connect to some is about interaction between people. Yeah. And so im assuming this is not, that is, is, is something less than good sessions, contact the course. Yeah. But having said, god, so you can see rhodes, right. I was kind of helping people build that confidence helping people give a sense of belonging perhaps. Um, i dont say perhaps most usefully letting people get help in a really quick and customize way. Yeah. In a way to set top whats already what went on websites and things like that. The really positive roads. Yes, there is one example i wanted to bring up. Its from a california based start called replica. And this company has an app that lets you design your personal a. I friend, thats how its marketed. Lets watch this promo a video. So youre the person, you know, you create your avatar um, but then of course this is just a, a promo video. So this doesnt happen in the users experience, but look, theyre, theyre saying its almost. D like having your real robot friends pop up next to you in your living room, doing yoga with you, etc. This video, of course, its not what people experience, but when i went to this companys website under popular questions, one was, is a replica essentially. And i mean the fact that people are asking perhaps means that they are confused julia. And what is the danger in this as well . So our connections to others for feel a variety of, of needs and, and roles and goals. And so, you know, we are to be careful about thinking about what kinds of roles that, that a, i might do quite well. Um and where it either mike falls short or even, you know, cause harm. What are the things that we know can have a benefit in terms of, of our Human Connection . I, the, the, at least currently in the technology. We dont have a good substitute for is, is actual human touch. And not only is there a wide literature on the importance of human touch from you know, various narrow peptides to got micro biome. Um, but even just anecdotally, we can think about even during the pandemic, how much we craved to just be, you know, be able to hug someone. Yeah. To be able to hold someones hand. And you know, as much as perhaps talking to others on, you know, on the some video chat, it was just a for substitute, you come out. And so those are some of the areas where we just are, its not going to completely rep, replace human content. Now, but its a little bit better than nothing. And we have a lot of people saying that in our youtube chat, David Brighton says i moved to a new city after the lock down and retired. I found a group of friends, a community on youtube, live streams. Its been nice and david, its been nice to have you to, im glad youre joining this conversation. But its that its like what were saying before, right . Its not just passively scrolling through things and ingesting content, but he and others are actually interacting in a part of a community. I think thats why i wanted to say like, youve got guys have it on your youtube. Hes getting some of what he needs from, from his youtube friends, ideally as, as to im sad to know well keep in contact with task included is, is, if you like to kind of goes down to this what we will need from craig, but we can get lots of what we need. Remote need, 3 tac um through conversations that we have on the comments on, on the phone or on. Whats apple . Oh, by 60 bucks and chaperones. And by getting to know our neighbors through tech groups and so on. So theres no doubt that tech taser really, really helpful road and helping us connect. But its part of the car system, a policy connection. I did contact you at least then. Yeah, well see what should we go ahead . Oh, sorry. Yeah. To jump in the car. I completely agree. Yeah. One of the interesting, my love right now is this idea of on my own differentiates. Right. So it seems to me, but when i was growing up, when i was a teenager, i turned through the beginning of social media to foster relationships that i already had. But now more and more, were documenting these online only friends, which might be young People Living and everything. City people we might never meet online. So a nurse in our, in our studies for example, 3040 percent of early and lessons already told me i have a person, i have a friend of mine that i have never and will never meet in person. And were trying to characterize these types of friendships as 1st of all, very real for young people where of course, its very are and you beta. But of course, its not those similar levels of closeness or trust, but a very important sources of shared interests where young people can explore interest with people that they might not have locally. We think it might mean particularly important for marginalize youth who might not find community locally. So really paying attention starting to scratch the surface to understand how these online on differentiates, might look like. I want to also talk about some offline solutions at a global house level. Japan and the u. K. Both created ministries of loneliness in 2021. Harry, what does the, what does the case administer of loneliness do and how is it helping . Oh thats a tough one. I think in time. So i mean struggle. I knew this was the idea about some 201617 no ones quite sure. If we still got i dont know. Some is he thought he just say some, i think our stuff happens just say for us to not government its out to. Yeah. But what about the what the, how do you solve that would have it. Yeah. I was gonna say serious, i mean city man is that keeps on is especially a matter of london on accident thinking hard about searching infrastructure in other words, puts into stuff in place. Thats um and tweaking the environments in which we live all nights to help us connect and that spot. But yeah, navy it out david walk on, particularly um, but certainly governments and city time does have a big role to play and making sure that we have the right kind of streets the right kind of housing, the right kind of parks, the right kind of public space is immunities to help us connect. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I wanted to brand one last example from the netherlands and theres a tweet about this on my laptop in which the dutch government created slow checkout lanes at a Popular Grocery chain. And this is for people who want to chat doesnt really care about getting out of there as efficiently as possible. I think it at least a few minutes, a face to face time with someone who would like to chat back with them. And its the small things, right, that do make a difference. And so in our final minutes of this show, i want to ask you guys for things that we and our viewers can do to personally help ourselves help our families and our friends who are experiencing this loneliness. So if you can just in one sentence, tell our viewers directly what is one action they can take to day to help themselves feel less lonely julian, go ahead. I guess in one sentence um thats gonna be tough, but um i would say reach out to others. Weve found in research that just even small acts of kindness can, can uh not only impact your own. Loneliness reduce that loneliness but help you feel more connected to others and those in your community, reduce conflict and, and help others along the way. Thank you, julian. Lucy, yes. Very much. I know a lot of people are anxious about reconnecting socially, but it does get easier. The more you do is to just start small. I hope they send that message that you wanted to send, you know, a friend ask someone a question on the street. It gets easier with practice. Thank you. Inherent your last sentence of advice. Yeah. Level, especially the kind of people do a new and thats a nice, huge comma is particularly difficult for people to sit and go look out for people. Youve got lots of times going on and i live close to the people that most likely to, to need your friendship. Thank you guys so much. That is all great advice and for our viewers at home. Thank you for watching today. If theres one thing you can do after the show, call a friend, call family member, and thank you so much for watching the stream. The a the 2 states control information controlling the narrative, to dominate thing, the media. How does the narrative improve Public Opinion dependent norma . Spite, it might not be the most important story about china of today. But thats what the big piece of attention to. How is citizen, tim listened, replacing the story, the listening post, i fixed the media. We dont cover the news, we cover the way the news is covered. Basically out of teams, does the un fits the purpose of like many critic sites, just obsolete and doesnt get anywhere near enough done to the amount of money that is put into its hard hitting interviews . Do you think that to their lives . Lachaise enough for money to go on its own and built its on a thought provoking on for centuries, people have been taken care of are. So i have every confidence that future generations will do. You the story on told to how does era. So thoughts factory has survived in an area of what thousands of others have been a band and yet hes the last one and hes extended family left. Holding on to that profession, that is thousands of years old because of impulse how business has been declining these newly made put some pictures need to be left into some for a few days until the dried off. They are in put here into this office to be heated at about 1500 degrees celsius for about 20 hours. But it is part of the ox cultures heritage. So even if it declines as a profession, extend, flourishes. Ask for your the the strength of waterborne disease becomes the main worry in Eastern Libya as people deal with the aftermath of devastating floods the flag several venue. Its great to have you with us. This is alice as the or a light from the also coming up more aid arrives in morocco. The government now looks to the managed task of rebuilding a. Weve gone from new york point. Ukraine says it has