In 2017, the Boston Globe released an article titled “The Biggest Threat Facing Middle Aged Men Isn’t Smoking or Obesity, It’s Loneliness.”
Actress Anne Hathaway said, “Loneliness is my least favorite thing about life.”
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) studied loneliness in America. Among their findings:
- Loneliness is more damaging to our health than smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
- Two in five have no meaningful relationships.
- Loneliness is a leading cause of premature mortality.
If you want to enjoy (a) serenity and (b) recovery, you must find community. This means going to recovery meetings, working with a sponsor, getting in a small group at church, and connecting with someone every single day.
Recovery Step: You need community with other people. But first, you need community with God. Embrace this wonderful promise from Scripture: “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in” (Psalm 27:10).
