In Sweden, they found an interesting way to fight loneliness
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The authorities of the city of Luleå, located in the north of Sweden, encourage people to greet each other. She organized the campaign Säg hej! (“Say hello”), which aims to reduce the social isolation of the townspeople and make them more friendly.
It is very cold in Luleå in winter and the daylight hours are reduced to three hours, writes The Guardian. Hobbies help people survive the dark winter months: swimming under the ice, skiing, walking along the “ice road” to the archipelago.
Despite this, the residents of Luleå are united by a common problem: loneliness. According to research, 45% of city residents aged 16 to 29 had problems due to loneliness. Among citizens over the age of 85, this indicator was significantly lower – 39% among women and 26% among men.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced people to keep their distance, which also had the effect of increasing feelings of loneliness.
| Photo: IgorVetushko/Depositphotos |
“Loneliness and isolation are huge problems at any time of the year, almost anywhere in the world. It has to do with the times we live in, with our lifestyles, where we don’t see each other like we used to. It’s intensifies in winter, when we spend less time in the fresh air, communicate less”, says Professor Mikael Dahlen. He researches happiness and well-being at the Stockholm School of Economics.
The campaign Säg hej! suggested Asa Koski, an employee of the municipality of Luleå. She convinces: when people are greeted by strangers, they have a feeling of “visibility”.
“It affects health and willingness to help each other. If you say hello to your neighbors, you are more likely to help them.” – claims Asa Koski.
The Säg hej! campaign is advertised on Luleå buses, and workshops are held in schools. In the city centre, most people agree that greetings should be encouraged. Many say that the internationality of the city affects the friendliness and openness of its society.
We will remind you that earlier we wrote that the WHO declared loneliness a global threat.
Read also: How to recognize the fear of loneliness and cope with it
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