The Anxious Achiever The Loneliness Epidemic and Work (with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy)
Dec 13, 2023
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talks about the loneliness epidemic in the US, its impact on mental health, and how to improve the situation. They discuss the importance of work friends and social connection, the significance of belonging in the workplace, the impact of connection on mental health, and simple ways to foster more connection.
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Early Work Friends
- Vivek Murthy found early work friends through a non-profit he started with his sister.
- These friends offered support beyond work tasks, and many remain close today.
Types of Connection
- Social connection has three core elements: intimate, relational, and collective.
- Misunderstanding these can lead to thinking a lonely spouse reflects a bad marriage.
Loneliness Despite Marriage
- Despite a happy marriage, Vivek Murthy felt lonely in 2017 due to lacking a sense of community.
- His wife correctly identified this as missing relational and collective connections, not a marital issue.