Making Loneliness a Global Crisis: Support the Creation of Ministry of Loneliness

"Action Solitude France" is an association governed by the law of July 1, 1901 and the decree of August 16, 1901, newly formed and whose head office is provisionally located in Saint-Privat-de-Champclos. It is co-chaired by Jean-Claude Artonne who has publicly addressed the problems of loneliness in TEDx talks and who has invested in several startups dedicated to promoting socialization, and by Stanislas de Quercize who is among  other things the President of the Amour Durable endowment fund whose mission aims to promote and support projects aimed in particular at consolidating the family fabric. The values ​​defended are benevolence, solidarity and fraternity.

https://actionsolitude.fr/en/who_we_are/

We call for increased resources for mental health programs, community initiatives to strengthen social connections, and awareness campaigns on the dangers of loneliness.

We also call for the creation of a Ministry or Secretariat for Loneliness, as is the case in Japan and the United Kingdom, to address this issue in a targeted and effective manner.

Loneliness is a silent plague that affects millions of people worldwide. It strikes not only the elderly, but also young people, adults, and even children. Its consequences on mental and physical health, as well as on the economy and social cohesion, are worrying.

€30B Cost of Loneliness: Health care reimbursements and losses due to absenteeism caused by loneliness-related depression cost the French economy €30 billion every year

62% of Young adults affected: Generation Z and millennials are the most affected. In 10 years, 400% increase in cases of chronic loneliness!

8M Social Isolation: In 2022, 8 million French people of all ages, or 13% of the population, suffered from severe social isolation.

MANY CONSEQUENCES OF LONELINESS:

On Health

- Mental Health: Loneliness can trigger anxiety and depression, increasing the risk of suicide.

- Physical Health: It is linked to cardiovascular disease, a lowered immune system, and reduced life expectancy. The effects of loneliness are comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

- Young vs. Old: Prolonged isolation has been shown to atrophy part of the brain and reduce empathy

On the Economy

- Productivity: Prolonged isolation has been shown to atrophy part of the brain and reduce empathy.

- Health Costs: Direct costs to the healthcare system: Health problems linked to loneliness increase public spending. In France, these costs amount to around 1.5 billion euros a year.

On Community Life

- Social Cohesion: Loneliness reduces participation in community activities and weakens social ties.

-Safety: A cohesive, connected community is safer and more resilient.

OUR GOALS:

- Raise awareness among 20 million French people: Use social networks and influencers, aware of their responsibility to the problem but eager to be part of the solution, with the help of our volunteer honorary members and the press.

- Get 100,000 signatures: Support the call for the creation of a Ministry dedicated to Loneliness, Fraternity, Friendship and Sustainable Love, as in the UK in 2017 and Japan in 2019.

- Organize citizen oversight: Set up working groups with public authorities, and inform the citizens about public, associative and private initiatives aimed at facilitating socialization and combating loneliness.

- Turn this national action into an international movement: Contribute to a more peaceful and caring world, because “where we socialize, we civilize."

OUR MISSION:

We are committed to:

- Raise awareness: Inform and educate the citizens about the dangers and impacts of loneliness through awareness campaigns and community events.

- Promoting social inclusion: Collaborating with various organizations to develop initiatives that encourage social interaction and mutual support.

- Support local initiatives: Encourage and assist community projects aimed at strengthening social ties and providing safe spaces for encounters and exchanges.

- Influencing public policy: Advocating for legislative changes and public policies that promote fraternity, friendship and lasting love.

Our mission is to create a support network where every individual can find resources, help and a community ready to welcome them. Together, we are working for a world where loneliness has no place, and where solidarity is at the heart of our values.

OUR FIRST 7 SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT:

1. Understand An exhaustive audit of the impact of loneliness on both health and the economy.

2. Communicate: An awareness campaign so that no one is ashamed to talk about this feeling.

3. Train: Provide more training for medical and paramedical staff on the mechanisms of loneliness, to avoid underestimating it and making mistakes such as encouraging people suffering from social anxiety to socialize, which can exacerbate the problem, as Dr. John Cacioppo has shown.

4. Prevent: Strengthen preventive measures to combat insecurity during social activities, which discourages young people from going out, by including regulations requiring measures to, for example, limit the risk of being drugged.

5. Enhance: Promote and subsidize intergenerational interactions to recreate family and social fabric.

6. Consolidate: Share solutions widely to help couples and duos strengthen their love and connection.

7. Dare to innovate: As was the case with the powerful alcohol and tobacco lobbies, dare to regulate social networks to reduce isolation by imposing advertising restrictions and financially supporting alternative solutions that encourage real social interaction.

THE CHALLENGE OF COMBATTING LONELINESS:

Combating loneliness means boosting public health, improving quality of life and creating more cohesive, supportive communities. It’s a major challenge, but together we can make a difference.

ACT NOW. SIGN YOUR PETITION: https://actionsolitude.fr/en/the-petition/

Your signature can make a big difference. Together, we can push for significant changes to combat loneliness and its devastating effects.

Join us in this important fight and be part of a movement for a more connected and supportive future.