Ask the Doctor: July 9

Ask the Doctor tonight on ABC looks at the subject of Loneliness

Being lonely is the silent global health crisis deadlier than obesity, affecting a third of the population. During this episode, our medical experts Dr Sharlin Naik, Dr Sandro Demaio and Dr Caroline West, discover it carries a risk similar to smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day, and can lead to increased blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression and premature mortality.

Help is at hand, as Caroline shows how to spot the warning signs and gives out a range of practical tips to build confidence and social connections. She attends a community Neighbour Day in Sydney, run by Relationships Australia, which highlights a modern-day irony that people living in dense, urban centres are socially isolated. These community events show how bringing people together can form important social bonds.

Young people are feeling intense pressure and are often at risk of emerging mental illnesses. Recent studies show that 80% of young Australians have experienced periods of loneliness. Caroline meets Dr Michelle Lim, a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, who’s run a promising pilot program using group therapy to combat loneliness in vulnerable young people.

Men of all ages are notorious for not reaching out when they should. So Shalin visits an Australian initiative that’s now going global – Men’s Shed. They’re places for men to learn or teach trades, get involved in community projects, or simply to socialise. It turns out having a purpose can be a vital step in beating the growing loneliness health epidemic.

Lastly, Sandro reveals how a new trial with trained assistance dogs is making a real difference to people suffering from isolation and helping them engage with society.

Tuesday 9 July 8.00pm on ABC.