Say hello! How this Swedish city is tackling loneliness

Loneliness is a big problem even if we do not realise it yet. It is a feeling of mental or emotional discomfort that most of us experience at least once in our lifetime.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), loneliness is the “affective and cognitive discomfort or uneasiness from being or perceiving oneself to be alone or otherwise solitary.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared loneliness a “global health threat”, with a top US health official comparing it to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

A city in northern Sweden has found a simple way to tackle the crisis of loneliness and it just starts with a ‘hello’.

Just say ‘hi’

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Sweden’s Luleå city has launched an initiative where people are encouraged to greet each other with a hello, according to The Guardian report.

The Säg hej! (say hello!) campaign is aimed to create a friendlier city by prompting people to indulge in social interactions even if small. All that people have to do is offer a warm hello to strangers.

In Luleå, the sun sets early in the afternoon as darkness engulfs the city for much of the day.

Loneliness has several health effects. Pixabay (Representational Image)

Micael Dahlen, a professor in wellbeing, welfare and happiness at Stockholm School of Economics, told The Guardian that Sweden is more consicous of loneliness due to its dark, cold winters.

“Loneliness and isolation are huge problems any time of the year almost anywhere in the world right now. It comes with the time we live in, the lifestyles we have, where we don’t necessarily come across each other to the same extent as we used to. This accelerates in winter time when we’re outdoors less, social less,” he explained.

As per a recent research, in the 16-29 age group, 45 per cent of people in Luleå were facing problems due to loneliness. While this was much lower in those aged 85 and above, the British daily reported.

How will it help?

Åsa Koski, a worker at Luleå municipality, was the brain behind the “Säg hej!” campaign. She told The Guardian that when strangers greet each other, people feel “more seen and a bit more like you belong”.

“Research shows that it has an effect on health and often an effect on wanting to help each other. If you say hi to your neighbours you are more likely to help them.”

According to Seyed Mohsen Hashemi, a 25-year-old student living in the nearby village of Kallax, people have become wary of developing contact with strangers after COVID-19.

He said when people greet each other less, they become “more isolated”. “One hej can change a day for somebody,” The Guardian quoted him as saying.

Most lonely countries

As per a report on loneliness in June, Ireland is the loneliest country in the European Union with 20 per cent of residents experiencing feeling lonely. About 13 per cent of the EU residents said they felt lonely most or all of the time.

The EU-wide survey was carried out to find out about the prevalence of the "epidemic of loneliness" caused due to social isolation and long lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Euronews.

The report warned that people who experience loneliness all or most of the time are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms.

"Loneliness is not just a private and individual issue," Euronews cited the report as saying.

"It may impede social cohesion and should be regarded as a social problem and addressed as such".

As per an article in WorldAtlas.com, Sweden is the loneliest country around the globe on the basis of percentage of people living alone, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan and Italy.

Side effects of loneliness

Prolonged loneliness can have serious health effects. As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long-term risks of chronic loneliness comprise cognitive decline, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, weakened immune system and Alzheimer’s disease.

What is being done to tackle the issue?

Denmark came up with a plan in June to halve the number of lonely people before 2040.

In May, Japan’s Parliament enacted a bill aimed at supporting people experiencing social isolation and loneliness.

An anti-loneliness social club in US California is offering friendship for $200 a month.

As this silent epidemic of loneliness creeps into our lives, it is always better to say ‘hello’ to others. You may find a new friend!

With inputs from agencies