Social Isolation Growing in U.S., Study Says

[ademas]

Interesting...

Social Isolation Growing in U.S., Study Says
The Number of People Who Say They Have No One to Confide In Has Risen

By Shankar Vedantam
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 23, 2006; A03

Americans are far more socially isolated today than they were two decades
ago, and a sharply growing number of people say they have no one in whom
they can confide, according to a comprehensive new evaluation of the decline
of social ties in the United States.

A quarter of Americans say they have no one with whom they can discuss
personal troubles, more than double the number who were similarly isolated
in 1985. Overall, the number of people Americans have in their closest
circle of confidants has dropped from around three to about two.

The comprehensive new study paints a sobering picture of an increasingly
fragmented America, where intimate social ties -- once seen as an integral
part of daily life and associated with a host of psychological and civic
benefits -- are shrinking or nonexistent. In bad times, far more people
appear to suffer alone.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/22/AR2006062201763.html?sub=new

[jkinatl2]

Yeah, I know that feeling. Toss low energy and a hint of agoraphobia on a person, and add wireless internet and a PS2, and its a recipe for the serious sad.

[allopathicholistic]

I confide in you guys. Where's the "deadpan serious" emoticon?

Seriously.

In terms of steady friends in my life, they seem to still love the whole drink-smoke-screw-faux-fabulous crap. Yup, even the poz ones. I have zero or minimal tolerance for insipid predictability (13 years and counting). When I log on to these forums, I never know who'll say what to get me thinking or cause my jaw to drop,etc .

So thanks. Really. 

[Gary85741]

I saw of this study on CBS Evening News last night.  The good news about that bad news is that at least I know now I'm not alone in that predicament.

People indeed may be very busy...but generally one can make the time if they so choose.  Trying to get to know someone who takes three weeks to return a phone call for example...doesn't work.  Can't build any continuity with someone that way.  Again...people will do what they want to do I guess.

Gary