Isolation is a Real Enemy

The state of isolation, in which a person experiences alienation from his fellow humans (often accompanied by hopelessness), is a major cause of suffering. The condition may contribute greater distress than underlying factor(s) like joblessness, poverty, old age, and/or illness.

Factors origiinating from an individual's upbringing, the school system, or our society contribute. And competition, an undeniable aspect of daily life, can further work against our affiliating with others.

In addition to everday causes, any kind of trauma, including divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, a move to a new neighborhood, PTSD, can lead to feeling "cut-off."

Any time we don't feel “okay” within ourselves, we are in some sense experiencing isolation, which can lead to feeling detached from others.  Negative emotions of anger, envy, blame, and hate leave us feeling disconnected, while positive feelings like gratitude, hope, love, forgiveness, understanding, compassion and empathy connect us.  

Isolation is worsened by a lack of awareness, which, in the most extreme cases, can lead to acts of violence against self and others.

In late October, Mingdong Chen admitted to killing his cousin’s wife and four children. He said, “Everyone is doing better than me.” Beyond joblessness, his feelings  of isolation from humanity motivated the gruesome killings.

Each person experiences isolation in a unique way, and each of us can find different ways to emerge from our suffering and (re)connect.  A story in The New York Times (November 5, 2013) about "a woman who hears voices" relates the positive outcome.  Gratitude for the treatment she received, the ongoing relationship with her therapist, and her ambition to become a hairdresser brought her out of isolation. 

Nature and artistic activities connect us and mitigate against companionlessness. In The Nuthatch (used online in The Writer's Almanac (November 6) poet  Kirsten Dierking imagines a bird on her shoulder, a most pleasant connection that keeps her from feeling isolated and demands little in return.

“What if a sleek, grey-feathered nuthatch flew from a tree and offered to perch on your left shoulder, accompany you on all your journeys?,,,,Wouldn’t that be so much nicer than being alone? So much easier than trying to think of something to say?”

Conclusion: Feelings of isolation cause great suffering and lurk behind much human destructiveness. Connecting to a discipline, whether professional or artistic, can help when human relationships disappoint.

Dear Reader, I welcome your opinions.
Jsimon145@gmail.com