The Articulate Dentist - A Blog by the Metro Denver Dental Society

Connected for Joy: The Power of Relationships in Cultivating Happiness

By: Dr. Amisha Singh
MDDS Co-Editor

What brings humans happiness? What do the happiest humans have in common? Ask any human what they seek in their life and the answers will vary. Some will say money, some will say fulfillment, some will say success. But what ultimately makes humans happy… the long-lasting, persistent happiness that feels like sunshine on your skin? The Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest study on happiness, helps us get some insight into what happiness truly means to the human condition. The Harvard Study of Adult Development started in 1938 and originally followed 734 men from their teenage years into their old age. The original cohort of studied participants included individuals from all socioeconomic classes in the Boston area (President John F. Kennedy was even a part of this original group!) and has since grown to include over 2,000 people.1 It is still an active study, in its 86th year, and includes the integration of health information, interviews with participants and family members, and facets of individual and community mental and emotional wellness.

What does this comprehensive study on human happiness teach us? It shows us the one thing that factors into the longevity of human happiness is also the one thing disappearing from our society at an alarming rate: human connection. This study’s most published and reverent finding is that the humans who were happiest in their old age, who stayed the healthiest as they aged, and lived the longest with the highest quality of life were the ones who had “the warmest connections with other people.”2 Strong, healthy, thriving relationships were the single strongest predictor of happiness and health while aging.3

As I think about my own life, this rings true. The connections I have with other people give the most warmth and light to my life. This is true for both a daily experience and as I look back and evaluate the passing decades. What makes life worth living? It is the people in my life. It is my family who makes “home” less of a place and more of a feeling- the feeling I walk into after a long day of work. It is my colleagues who have built my experience of dentistry. Connection with other people has shaped the fabric of who I am, professionally and personally. There are countless people who are no longer in my life, but who helped create the version of me that exists today. They planted a seed, they offered a well-timed and crucial moment of comfort, they loved me into this moment… and their empathy, kindness and humanity were woven into the essence of who I was and who I became. I think about how I will never really get to thank them and how many of them will never get to know the influence they had on my life, as I will never be able to quantify the ripples of my own human existence.

Technology and the evolution of the Anthropocene is a beautiful thing… it is stunning, the speed and brilliance with which our society is evolving. But there is also a cost to this evolution, this change. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General published an advisory report called Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. In this publication, Dr. Vivek Murthy states, “When I first took office as Surgeon General in 2014, I didn’t view loneliness as a public health concern. But that was before I embarked on a cross-country listening tour, where I heard stories from my fellow Americans that surprised me.”4 He outlines the isolation, invisibility, and insignificance… the loneliness… prevalent in modern society and that is a threat to the health and happiness of our communities. Before COVID-19, one in every two Americans, 50% of us, reported experiencing loneliness. And then an age of social distancing and a global pandemic made an invisible problem visible… and worse. Lacking social connection has been linked to critical health issues including a 29% increased risk of premature death, a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke. Lacking meaningful and regular social connection can increase the risk of premature death by the same amount as smoking 15 cigarettes in a day! It’s astonishing how much humans need human connection in order to thrive.3 We are a social species, and unfortunately, we are living in an era that tells the story of what happens to humans when we lose that connection.

Vivek Murthy, in this report, calls us to “build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation” and shares “it will take all of us—individuals and families, schools and workplaces, health care and public health systems, technology companies, governments, faith organizations, and communities—working together to destigmatize loneliness and change our cultural and policy response to it. It will require reimagining the structures, policies, and programs that shape a community to best support the development of healthy relationships.”3

As a proud member of the tripartite, I cannot help but think about the role organized dentistry plays in protecting me from the loneliness which is sometimes inherent in this profession. I think about the mentors and friends who I found through organized dentistry, while I was a student or after I graduated, who helped shape me into the professional I am today. They helped me question my pre-conceived notions and showed me what was possible through a collaborative effort in pursuing the health of communities. They asked the right questions and, brick by brick, built the foundation of how I see my profession and my role in it. They helped me realize and actionize my responsibility to the community, as a doctor, as a woman and as a leader.

So, when I seek ways to strengthen connections and pave a way for my own happiness and health, I think of us. I think of the power and potential of our community. Let this serve as a reminder. You are not alone. You are cherished. You belong. In this moment, reach out to one person who is a part of your social fabric and connect with them… and remind them who they are and what they have done to build your own happiness.

REFERENCES

  1. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/
  2. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-the-worlds-longest-study-of-adult-development-finds-the-key-to-happy-living
  3. https://www.happiness.hks.harvard.edu/february-2024-issue
  4. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

The Articulate Dentist is a blog by the Metro Denver Dental Society, providing members with insight into the dental industry, practice management tips, tech trends and best practices as well as Society news and updates.