The Three Pillars of Health and Why Connection Holds Them Up

Loneliness isn’t just a feeling. Lately, there’s been more attention on loneliness as a public

health issue. The World Health Organization has framed loneliness and social connection as core parts of our overall health and not just “nice to have” extras. That framing really matters, especially for communities like ours where aging, isolation, and changing life circumstances can make staying connected harder. 

We tend to think of health as mostly physical: Do I exercise? Am I eating well? Did I go to the doctor? But health is built on three interconnected pillars: physical health, mental health, and social health. 

Physical health is the one we’re most familiar with, managing chronic conditions, staying active, getting medical care, recovering from illness. It absolutely matters, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. 

Mental health includes our emotional wellbeing, stress levels, mood, and our ability to cope with change and loss. Feeling anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed isn’t separate from physical health; the two influence each other constantly.

Social health is the pillar we talk about the least, but it deserves equal footing. Social health is about having meaningful relationships, feeling a sense of belonging, and knowing you matter to other people. It’s about connection, not just being around people but feeling genuinely seen and valued. When social health erodes, physical and mental health often follow. 

We often use “loneliness” and “isolation” interchangeably, but they’re actually different, and both can affect health. Isolation is more objective. It’s about circumstances like living alone, limited transportation, fewer opportunities to get out, and smaller or shrinking social networks. You can be isolated without feeling lonely, and you can be lonely without being isolated. Loneliness is subjective. You can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships don’t feel meaningful or supportive. Loneliness is the gap between the connections you have and the connections you want. 

A growing body of research shows that loneliness and social isolation aren’t just emotional experiences, they affect the body. They are associated with increased risk of heart disease and stroke, higher rates of depression and anxiety, greater risk of cognitive decline, weakened immune function, and a higher risk of premature death. 

There’s also a feedback loop: when people feel lonely or isolated, they’re less likely to seek care, less likely to stay active, and more likely to withdraw, which can make health outcomes worse and increase isolation even more. 

All of this can feel big and abstract, but social health is built in everyday, practical ways at the local level. In our community, that looks like friendly volunteer visits and check-in calls, rides to medical appointments and grocery stores so people can stay connected to the world outside their front door, help with small tasks around the house that make it easier for someone to remain independent, social activities and gatherings that give people a reason to get out and feel part of something again, and opportunities for older adults not just to receive help but to give back through volunteering and sharing their skills.  

None of this fixes loneliness overnight, but it chips away at isolation, creates routine points of contact, helps people feel remembered, and over time, those small things add up. This isn’t about telling people to just try harder or put themselves out there. It’s about designing communities, programs, transportation, housing, and services that make connection easier and more natural, especially as people age. 

We don’t need perfect solutions. We need more small, human ones. More reasons to leave the house. More invitations. More ways for people to feel useful and known. If we take physical, mental, and social health seriously as equally important, then connection isn’t optional. It’s foundational.