"Hello darkness, my old friend…"

—Paul Simon

To be alone is not lonely

And I am good company for myself.

But today would be sweet,

Very sweet,

To go there with you.

Roy Campbell wrote these words that try to mask his loneliness. Even though he is "good company" for himself, the poet longs for the companionship of another. In our hectic digitally wired world, loneliness doesn't just impact individuals. It has ramifications across whole societies.

In this Edition of Fighting Lonely, we look at loneliness in the digital age and even though we have a world of people at our finger tips, people are feeling increasingly isolated.

Alone in an Ocean of Connections

Two hundred years ago, if you lived in another part of the world from a friend, the only way to communicate was by letter. It could take weeks, even months. Your great-grandparents would be astounded to see your smartphone and instant messaging apps. They'd be bewildered by our pervasive social media platforms.

The question is, why are we so lonely? We're all just a speed dial away from those closest to us. We can speak to someone on the other side of the world by pressing just one button. It's instant. It's close at hand. It's always ready for you.

But something's missing.

It's the paradox of the digital age: technology connects us but can also isolate us.

The Impact of Social Media

The debate is settled.

Research showed a connection between Facebook usage and a short-term decrease in what is termed "subjective wellbeing" and a longer-term decrease in life satisfaction.

In short, the more you use Facebook, the more chances you have of feeling unhappy. As Facebook users only post stories about their marvelous holidays and great family reunions and only show photos where they look fabulous, of course, their message of never-ending happiness resonates. You'll never see those same people posting about their arguments, feelings of insecurity, or unhappy marriages.

What can you do? Stick to following your real friends.

How do you feel after using social media? Reply to this email and let us know.

Benefits of Digital Detox

A detox is a process of removing toxic substances. A digital detox is about putting aside time to stay off social media.

Allow yourself to experience real life without the lure of those digital distractions. Take a walk. Make that arrangement to meet up with a long-lost friend for coffee. Go and see a movie with a family member.

You might find it hard to go "cold turkey," but be strong. Create a plan. Stick to it. Write down your goals—and make them realistic. Tell family and friends and enlist their support.

How to Use Technology to Foster Meaningful Connections

You can consciously set out to use social media to enhance and improve your meaningful connections. It's not as difficult as you might think.

First, tell yourself that you are going to tackle the issue. Know that communication via a screen doesn't have to be frivolous. Stop yourself from aimless scrolling. Promise yourself that you'll be genuine.

Try to make time for real, face-to-face conversations too. Choose quality over quantity. Commit to building a life that is offline.

You could also join a virtual community that shares your interests, concerns, or ideals. Specialized and targeted online groups unite like-minded individuals and give them a space to share their experiences, hopes, and fears. Reddit is a great place to start.

Can AI Be Used to Decrease Loneliness?

Perhaps so. One study used a virtual human named Ellie to test this theory. In interactions with humans, Ellie urged them to seek out connections with real people, especially with individuals they didn't know. Strangely enough, this non-human managed to get her human subjects to increase their person-to-person contact.

It's an intriguing discovery, but one that brings up thoughts of that robot HAL 9000 from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. If you know, you know.

Snippets

• AI companions and loneliness relief: AI companions can help alleviate loneliness, but there are important warning signs to watch for.

• Replika chatbot companion: Replika is one of the top AI-powered chatbot companions.

• AI redefining human relationships: AI companions are reshaping how we connect and form relationships in the digital age.

• What is a digital detox?: A digital detox is a period of disconnection from digital devices. Here's how to do a digital detox.

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