I had a hard week with a meltdown. Let’s face it, I’m a 61 year old Grandma who has been out of work and on Disability due to back problems for the last 7 years. It hasn’t been fun or easy. These days I’m lucky to get 3 hours of sleep at a time. I go back and forth between the bed and the recliner with the heating pad all night. Certainly not what I thought my ‘golden years’ would look like.
So back to the meltdown…there are times when I just feel so alone. My husband and kids are out there working, doing what they do. I’m so proud of all of them. And here I sit. Things happen, people get busy, I get it. But after 4 days of being almost by myself I just lost it. I don’t know why. Normally I can suck it up and just deal with it.
I have lots of hobbies to keep me busy; I write music, sell stuff online, do blogs, and videos, and crafts. I’m active at Church and have a few trusted friends I reach out to. Well, and the 2 doggie and one kitten ministry, that’s a labor of love and a gift from Heaven at the same time! And I admit it, I have been known to binge watch HGTV and Love is Blind…something about young love just gives me hope I guess.
As I write this I still have tears running down my face….ugggh! What is up with this? I know God is with me, and yes, I pray. But why is this freaking life so lonely at times? I can’t be the only one feeling this way right?
Some did what any sane person would do – I asked Google. Here’s what I found.
- In 2025, about 57% of Americans report feeling lonely, and younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials experience it more frequently than older adults.
- Loneliness is considered a public health crisis, linked to mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
- While a third of all US adults report feeling lonely at least weekly, specific demographics such as younger adults, single individuals, and men aged 15-34 are particularly affected.
Overall Loneliness
- Prevalence: Approximately 57% of Americans report feeling lonely, according to a Cigna survey.
- Public health crisis: The U.S. Surgeon General has declared social disconnection a public health crisis on par with smoking or obesity.
- Mental health impact: An alarming 81% of lonely adults reported experiencing anxiety or depression.
What are the consequences of loneliness for our physical and mental health?
According to the Surgeon General’s report, social isolation increases the risk of premature death by 29 percent. It’s equivalent to the impact of smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia, as well as other serious medical conditions.
It’s also associated with lower academic performance and decreased productivity at work. And when it comes to older adults, social isolation accounts for an extra $6.7 billion in Medicare spending each year. (Source- Weill Cornell Medicine)
Well dang, I guess I’m not the only one. I think since Covid happened more and more people feel isolated and alone. Let’s face it, our world literally shut down. Things changed. And I don’t think we have recovered from our social isolation yet.
I know personally that we have had less family get togethers. And socially, I’ll admit it, I’ve kinda shut down. I used to do lots of volunteer work in the community. But now, I feel lucky if I get enough sleep and am able to drive some days.
Yes, there are online things like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. But really, it’s not the same as seeing someone face to face. Truthfully, I can’t hug Facebook friend.
A scary thing I found in my research is that more and more people are turning to AI Chatbots for company. Teens are actually asking AI for therapy. Really? That is just way too out there and creepy for me.
The Use of Chatbots for Companionship
- Widespread usage: In 2025, almost half (48%) of Americans had talked to an AI chatbot as if it were a friend.
- Sense of companionship: 84% of these users reported that the chatbot provided a sense of companionship.
- Perception of friendship: 51% of those who have used chatbots considered one to be a friend.
- High teen engagement: A Common Sense Media study found that nearly 75% of American teens have used AI companions, with half using them regularly.
- Geographic trends: A survey showed that residents of quieter, less urban states spent significantly more time interacting with AI chatbots, potentially as a stand-in for in-person social opportunities.
There are risks for using AI Chatbots for companionship. Just because they say it’s artificial intelligence doesn’t make it right or true.
Potential Risks for Using AI Chatbots for Companionship
- Increased loneliness over time: A 2025 MIT Media Lab study found that high-frequency use of chatbots correlated with higher levels of loneliness and dependence, as well as lower real-world socialization. A George Mason University study yielded similar results for heavy users.
- Blurred reality: Some psychiatric research has documented cases of “AI psychosis” where deep emotional attachment to a bot causes users to blur their sense of reality and grow intolerant of human imperfection.
- Avoidance of human connection: As seen with some young men who prefer AI companionship over risking rejection from a human partner, chatbots may act as a maladaptive coping mechanism that discourages real-world connection.
(Source: MIT Media Lab)
Dear Lord, help us all return to face-to-face community again! I don’t even own an Alexa or an Echo, call me old fashioned or whatever. I don’t even like to talk to Siri. I am not going to talk to a box and pretend it’s a human. It is really not the same.
I know I will be ok, just having a human moment I guess. Anyway, thanks for listening. I feel better just getting it out. What about you? How do you deal with loneliness?
God’s Word on Lonliness – Top 10 Bible Verses for Loneliness
Isaiah 41:10 ~ Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Psalm 27:10 ~ For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.
Matthew 28:20 ~ Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 ~ Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
1 Peter 5:7 ~ Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Psalm 23:4 ~ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Genesis 2:18 ~ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Psalm 147:3 ~ He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
John 14:18 ~ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
Psalm 68:5-6 ~ Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
My Prayer for You
Dear Lord,
Thanks for the reminder that I can’t go through life without You or others. It is just way too lonely without You. Thank you for Your Word that reminds me You will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank you for my beautiful family and friends. Help me to reach out to You and to them when I feel overwhelmed, in Jesus Name.