Psychiatrist: Attend Church To Combat Loneliness Epidemic
By Movieguide® Contributor
Psychiatrist Daniel Amen recently encouraged people to attend church to combat America’s loneliness epidemic. His advice comes after the Surgeon General issued an advisory about the issue.
“This is an issue so many people struggle with in the shadows because they feel ashamed. And that was true for me as well,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said while speaking about loneliness. “It was my wife Alice who stepped in and said, ‘Hey I’m worried about you because you’re not reaching out to people. You’re not socializing with your friends.’”
Murthy released a Surgeon General Advisory where he pointed out the physical health risks of being lonely, including increased risk of heart disease, dementia, and strokes. According to him, “the possibility of premature death due to loneliness could equal that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and can pose a greater health risk than living with obesity.”
One of Murthy’s recommendations was to regularly attend church or other faith and community meetings.
“Religious or faith-based groups can be a source for regular social contact, serve as a community of support, provide meaning and purpose, create a sense of belonging around shared values and beliefs, and are associated with reduced risk-taking behaviors,” he explained.
“By taking small steps every day to strengthen our relationships, we can rise to meet this moment together,” Murthy said in the advisory. “And we can ensure that our country and the world are better posed than ever to take on the challenges that lay ahead.”
Part of connecting with others is regular church attendance, while Amen recommends for those who are feeling lonely.
“Go back to church. Get involved. Get involved with groups,” he advised. “We have to go back. And really, no better place to solve it than the church.”
Movieguide® previously reported on how regular church attendance can improve mental health:
As mental health becomes a growing concern in the digital age, a recent Gallup poll found that regular church attendance improves mental health.
According to the poll, 44% of people who attend church regularly described their mental health as “excellent.”
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