In the first of a brand new series of debates, we ask the experts whether modern technology is making our society more isolated.
The Mental Health Foundation reports that, with single-householders, lone parents, divorcees and empty-nesters on the increase, loneliness is causing mental and physical health problems like never before. So, is the online experience of social networking sites part of the problem? Or are Facebook friends just as good as the real thing?
Siobhan Freegard, Founder of Netmums
People are increasingly lonely, but I don’t think social networking is causing it. It’s the fragmentation of society. Our research shows that 61 per cent of new mums don’t live near their extended families – their social and support network, in other words. And, contrary to the modern cliché, 62 per cent say they have not replaced family with friends.
Yes, you can make strong friends who act as a family, but it’s not happening as often as you might think. Social networking sites like ours are a replacement for the old community, which largely doesn’t exist any more. We even have swap boards where you can trade nearly new items, recommend a plumber, find household help. There’s also a lot of desperation out there. When we saw some of the posts on our message boards, we brought in a counsellor.
You do see people using Facebook as an alternative to real life, but then you get boys playing computer games till they drop or alcoholics who can’t regulate their drink. Most people know the difference between the internet and real life.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive, Mental Health Foundation
According to our report The Lonely Society?, almost half of us believe that people are getting lonelier. The divorce rate has doubled in the last 50 years, the percentage of single-person households has more than doubled in the last 40 years, we are having fewer children and living further away from the communities in which we grew up. It has been argued that social networking sites can undermine certain social skills, such as the ability to read body language. Technology also fails to provide the physical contact that benefits our health. There are positive bio-chemical processes that take place during face-to-face communication, which may explain the link between social interaction and good cardiovascular health. While technology can help us keep in touch with friends or share experiences and advice, it is no substitute for real, human interaction.
Many people regard the older generation as most likely to be lonely. However, the middle-aged also experience moments that can prompt loneliness, such as children leaving home and divorce. Perhaps the most counter-intuitive revelation from our research was that younger people are more likely than any age group to feel lonely. Possibly, technology has played a part.
Martha Lane Fox, UK Digital Champion
There are about ten million people in the UK who have never used the internet and four million of those people are the most economically and socially disadvantaged. Last summer the government asked me and my organisation Race Online 2012 (www.raceonline2012.org) to take a look at the digital divide in this country.
The world has changed – digital skills are fundamental now. If you don’t have access then you simply don’t have the same choices everyone else in society has. And if you don’t have any digital skills you’re going to have more limited opportunity in your future. Initiatives like Silver Surfers Day, giving taster sessions to over 55s who’ve never been online, are a great way of introducing older people to the joys of the internet. But anyone who uses the web can save money, save time and have better access to information around them.
The internet won’t replace your real life, but it will add a whole extra dimension to it, a whole extra “third space”. As things stand, the web is a route to meeting like-minded people from all over the place. You can search online for people who might have the same challenges as you and it can be a real help to talk to them, and often in an anonymous and quiet way.
Do you have the blues?
We can all feel low and alone from time to time, but there’s a difference between feeling blue and being depressed. The good news is that there’s help available for anyone diagnosed with clinical depression. Have a look at the following questions and see how many you answer “yes” to. Over the past two weeks, have you:
1. Been feeling low, depressed or hopeless?
2. Lost interest in everyday things?
3. Felt particularly tired or lacking in energy?
4. Had trouble sleeping or slept too much?
5. Lost your appetite or been overeating?
6. Been feeling a failure or bad about yourself?
7. Found it difficult to concentrate properly?
8. Felt restless and fidgety, or sluggish?
9. Had thoughts about harming yourself?
If your answer is “yes” to five or more of the above (for half of the time or more, over the past two weeks), it’s probably a good idea to see your GP. You may be referred for counselling or psychotherapy – both of which are now covered by Benenden Healthcare.
Members can also call the 24-hour stress counselling helpline on 0845 050 5247*.
This article first appeared in issue 12 of benhealth, the magazine for Benenden Healthcare members.
