NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the pandemic
continues to change how Americans live daily life, the holidays are
proving to be no different. Almost 1 in 4 Americans won't see
family or friends for any of the upcoming holidays, which could
help explain why more than 1 in 10 are experiencing severe
loneliness.
We surveyed more than 2,000 people about their loneliness
to gauge what effects the resurgent coronavirus pandemic and the
upcoming holiday season will have on people's mental
health.
Key findings:
- Nearly a quarter of Americans (24%) won't see family and
friends for either of the upcoming holidays. That number
jumps to 35% for baby boomers and 31% for members of the silent
generation.
- More than 1 in 10 (11%) consumers report feeling "extremely
lonely" heading into the winter holidays. Interestingly,
younger Americans are more likely to report feeling extreme
loneliness than older generations.
- 24% of Americans are "very worried" about their family and
friends feeling lonely during the holidays this
year. Another 46% are somewhat concerned.
- Some consumers' holiday loneliness may be related to the
season: 13% said they have been diagnosed with seasonal
affective disorder, a mood disorder characterized by depression
that occurs at the same time every year. Another 29% haven't been
diagnosed but experience those symptoms.
- To manage stress and loneliness, many consumers are
practicing forms of self-care, including watching TV or movies
(60%), exercise (40%) and reading (39%), but only 7%
said they're talking to a therapist or counselor. Additionally,
19% of those age 75 and older said they don't do anything to manage
stress/loneliness.
- Of those who reported they won't see loved ones for at least
one of the upcoming holidays, the majority (49%) said they made
the decision themselves to minimize coronavirus risk. On the
other hand, 14% said the loved one made the decision due to the
pandemic.
- For those who feel lonely, their reasons
include: isolation due to the pandemic (51%),
always feel lonely during this time of the year (28%), loss of a
loved one (25%), the weather (24%), the election (21%),
disagreements with family members (21%) and job loss (21%).
View full report: Loneliness, Coronavirus, and the
Holidays
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Media Contact:
Nadia Gonzalez (Mrs.)
Nadia@LendingTreeNews.com
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SOURCE ValuePenguin.com