A friendly, candid, and comforting guide for isolating times when we
have no one to count on.
Despite the inclusive promise of social media, loneliness is a growing
epidemic in the United States. Social isolation can shatter our
confidence. In isolating times, we're not only lonely, we're also
ashamed because our society stigmatizes people who appear to be without
support.
As a single, fifty-eight-year-old woman, Val Walker found herself
stranded and alone after major surgery when her friends didn't show up.
As a professional rehabilitation counselor, she was too embarrassed to
reveal how utterly isolated she was by asking for someone to help, and
it felt agonizingly awkward calling colleagues out of the blue. As she
recovered, Val found her voice and developed a plan of action for people
who lack social support, not only to heal from the pain of isolation,
but to create a solid strategy for rebuilding a sense of community.
400 Friends and No One to Call spells out the how-tos for befriending
our wider community, building a social safety net, and fostering our
sense of belonging. On a deeper level, we are invited to befriend our
loneliness, rather than feel ashamed of it, and open our hearts and
minds to others trapped in isolation.