With Valentine's day around the corner millions of people are looking for love on the horizon. Our society sets up Valentine's day to be a monumental moment to feel validated by romance and love. We think that this experience will bring us happiness and joy…and all the ooey gooey feelings in our hearts. Yet the reality is that not only do many people not have this experience, many have the opposite… loneliness… and often for reasons beyond lacking a romantic partner.
February is American Heart Month. Having Valentine's Day in this month is an interesting correlation. In Chinese medicine the Element of Fire is associated with the organs of the heart and pericardium. The emotion of joy and happiness is associated with the heart, and the pericardium is its protector. The pericardium helps to decide what may enter the heart…or not. That concept of “the open or closed heart” is not far from the way Chinese medicine see’s the inter-relationship of the heart and the pericardium. To get into one’s heart you must pass through the pericardium. This may not be easy for those experiencing Loneliness and the wall around the heart that may be associated with it.
Research shows that loneliness is becoming more prevalent in our society. Around 25-50% of Americans report regular or frequent feelings of loneliness. We now know that feelings of loneliness lead to chronic health issues including, depression, high blood pressure, obesity, increased tobacco and alcohol use, increased risk of dementia, cognitive decline, and even coronary artery disease.
These risks are increasing in our teenage population due to the fact that loneliness is hitting younger age groups. The frequent use of social media leaves people feeling the effects of superficial and isolated interactions. As humans we have evolved with human interconnectedness. We have literally needed each other since the beginning of time. We have evolved in community and with community involvement. As our day-to-day activities take us away from community, our work and go-go-go modern day speed leaves us tired and lacking energy for connection. It's easy to feel the effects of loneliness at the end of the day. When this continues over time our connection and need to be open hearted lags and our heart protector, the pericardium becomes hardened. Our hearts begin to lack happiness and joy. Thankfully there is an antidote!...meaningful connection!
Meaningful connections provide us with a better life. Sometimes if you’re feeling really lonely it is hard to know where to start. You may understand you are lacking connection with others but can’t find the momentum to regain footing. Momentum actually follows action (a whole other blog in itself)...but small changes lead to larger impacts in the long run. You don’t have to search for the love of your life because Valentine's day is around the corner…but maybe reach out to your local food pantry to see if they need a hand, or check in on that friend you’ve been meaning to check on but just haven’t gotten around to, see if you can cook grandma her favorite meal, or volunteer to walk the dogs at your local humane society. Research shows that meaningful social interactions are actually the number one contributor to good health and longevity.
This February let’s remember how much we need each other. Whether you feel lonely or not…chances are someone else does. So reach out to your local community organizations to see where you can plug in to make those meaningful connections.
If you feel like your heart and soul simply can’t make the connections they need, consider some acupuncture to open yourself up to joy and happiness again. We have an emotional balancing method that is very effective. Call JJ at 910.262.1122 to schedule a consultation.