As a person with Asperger's, social isolation has always been a problem for me. It's a lot easier to just be alone, and I need alone time to be healthy. But I've had to learn that I do need other people; we are social animals. However, just realizing that doesn't solve the problem. In order to be less isolated, I have to make an effort, sometimes a great effort, to get out and be around other people. In times of stress, I tend to isolate. Moving across the country in less than two weeks to a place where I won't know anyone, I need to be mindful of my risk of social isolation.
Social isolation is a growing problem nationwide. Since Robert Putnam wrote Bowling Alone in 2000, social isolation has increased dramatically. It's a huge problem for the growing elderly population and a risk factor for serious mental illness. The health risk is comparable to smoking. Loneliness is killing us with the potential for community all around us, like starving to death in a grocery store.
