BrainWise and Loneliness

Posted On: September 24, 2020

The feeling of loneliness is a Red Flag our body sends to our brain that alerts us that important social connections we need for survival are at risk.  It is a signal that motivates us to reconnect with others and establish double lines in our Constellation of Support. In 2018, the massive extent of loneliness was  identified by a Kaiser Family Foundation report that found 22 percent or 56 million American adults say are  “often” or “always” lonely. This research spurred additional studies to investigate whether loneliness had increased during the COVID-10 pandemic.   

BrainWise and Loneliness
Lonely sad girl on the dark beach

The results of this newest research were reported by the  American Psychological Association in June 2020.  Surprisingly, researchers  found no significant changes in loneliness across three waves of surveys they administered. The number of people reporting loneliness, while still high, remained stable. 

The researchers attribute the stability of the loneliness factor despite COVID-19 restrictions to the social and emotional support respondents have felt during the pandemic. They found that people are reaching out to friends and family with texts, video calls, and other digital connections, creating a buffer against loneliness. People are motivated to use words, images or animations to stay in touch and find it easy to send a positive text or email to family and friends. It is hard not to feel someone cares when you received a set of double hearts or a thumbs-up emoji.  The message of care goes both ways – the sender feels good, too.   

The same digital technology, however, can also fuel negative feelings and obsession with streams of bad news and toxic messages, causing more problems. BrainWise can help – use your skills to Stop and Think and halt the negativity cycle could be sabotaging your well-being.  Anxiety, sadness, frustration, resentment and other feelings can accompany feelings of loneliness.  You can replace them by using self-talk and other tools (see below) to lower and exit your Emotions Elevator. People and resources who surround you with double lines in your Constellation of Support are there to help you. Take steps and use your resources.     

The following links to worksheets for children and teens/adults from the BrainWise curriculum will help you and others assess your emotions and make healthy choices and decisions BWCPR TeenAdult Color worksheet BW CPR Constelllation of Support_4.13 K-5 BW CPR Color Prob Solving Worksheet.9.20).  

Please follow and like us:

A Legacy of Transformative Teaching

BrainWise: A Legacy of Transformative Teaching It’s always inspiring to recognize the profound impact BrainWise instructors have had on their students and communities. Past newsletters have celebrated instructors like psychologist Dr. Gary Brayton, PhD, RSW, who has taught BrainWise to more than 2,000 clients. Dr. Brayton is just one of hundreds of dedicated educators using […]

Read More »

Empowering People through BrainWise

Caring, respectful, and committed are words that define the CAPSA staff who teach BrainWise to children and women as they rebuild their lives following traumatic experiences, including domestic violence and rape. Founded in 1976 by concerned citizens in Logan, Utah, the organization provided direct services to 1,551 clients in 2024 and delivered community education to […]

Read More »

Fulfilling an Educator’s Wishlist

Imagine a classroom where students, already struggling, faced eight teacher changes in six months, and where proficiency scores plummeted. This was the reality for 26 third graders in St. Louis, a challenge compounded by the disruptions of the pandemic. But amidst this adversity, one retired educator, Shelia Nicholson, held onto an unwavering hope: BrainWise. For […]

Read More »