• Friendship and relationship advice,  Oakland Press columns,  Personal growth

    The loneliness epidemic

    “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” ~A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., loneliness is a health crisis in America. In his 2023 report, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” he notes that the lack of in-person social activity leads to serious health outcomes, including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Apparently, despite our many social media connections, Americans aren’t fully engaging with others in healthy, three-dimensional ways. Here’s the deal: Good relationships require initiation and effort. Too often, we hang back in silence and blame our loneliness on others…