America is facing a new epidemic that cannot be treated with traditional therapies, yet it has serious and sometimes fatal consequences. The issue of loneliness is creeping into our communities, and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is hoping to raise awareness and provide solutions before it takes more lives.
“Most of us probably think of loneliness as just a bad feeling,” Murthy told USA TODAY. “However, it turns out that loneliness has far greater implications for our health when we experience social disconnection, loneliness, or isolation.” Experts agree that loneliness negatively affects both mental and physical health, leading to increased risks of heart disease, dementia, stroke, and premature death. As researchers document record levels of self-reported loneliness, public health leaders are coming together to develop a comprehensive framework to address this epidemic.
“The world is becoming lonelier, and the consequences are concerning,” said Dr. Jeremy Nobel, founder of The Foundation for Art and Healing, a nonprofit organization focused on public health through creative expression. His initiative, Project Unlonely, aims to combat these issues. “Loneliness won’t just make you miserable; it can be deadly,” he stated. “That’s why it’s a crisis.”
What is Loneliness?
Loneliness occurs when the connections a person needs in life exceed the connections they have, according to Murthy. Because loneliness is subjective, not everyone experiences it in the same way or for the same reasons. In his book, “Project Unlonely: Healing our Crisis of Disconnection,” Nobel identifies three types of loneliness: psychological, social, and existential.
Psychological loneliness arises when individuals feel they lack someone to confide in or trust. Social loneliness occurs when people feel systematically excluded due to characteristics like gender, race, or disability. Existential loneliness, or spiritual loneliness, comes from feeling disconnected from oneself. “People can experience all of these types of loneliness simultaneously,” Nobel, who is affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, noted.
Loneliness can be felt at any point in a person’s life and may worsen following trauma, illness, or the aging process. It can also be intensified by technology replacing face-to-face interactions, which likely explains why younger people report the highest rates of loneliness. A 2020 Harvard survey revealed that 61% of adults aged 18 to 25 reported feeling seriously lonely, compared to 39% of the general population.
Other groups that report high levels of loneliness and isolation include those with poor physical and mental health, disabilities, financial insecurity, individuals living alone, single parents, and older adults. “This complexity makes it challenging to address loneliness as a public health issue because it varies widely based on individual circumstances,” Nobel explained.
Americans Are Lonely
Although loneliness is not a new experience for humans, experts suggest its prevalence has increased in recent years. As the American population ages and suffers more from chronic diseases, the incidence of loneliness has risen. Modern conveniences have also contributed to a dramatic expansion of loneliness, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging showed that feelings of loneliness among individuals aged 50 to 80 rose from 27% in October 2018 to 56% in June 2020, during the peak of pandemic-related restrictions.
By January 2023, self-reported feelings of loneliness had dipped to 34%. While the situation is not as severe as during the pandemic, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to Lindsay Kobayashi, John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Global Public Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
COVID-19 prompted a surge in delivery services and Zoom meetings that helped maintain social connections after distancing restrictions were lifted. However, this shift has led to fewer opportunities for in-person interactions, making it harder for Americans to build meaningful social connections. “We must be intentional about fostering social connections in our lives,” Murthy advised.
The rise of remote work has also made people more likely to change jobs or relocate, disrupting meaningful relationships. Additionally, social media has been linked to increased feelings of loneliness, with research indicating that heavy users tend to experience loneliness more acutely. Although “likes” and “followers” may provide short-term satisfaction, they do not create genuine connections with others, according to Murthy.
The Harvard study found that 43% of young adults reported feeling lonelier since the pandemic began, and about half mentioned that no one had taken more than a few minutes to ask them how they were doing in a way that made them feel truly cared for in recent weeks.