Loneliness is the gap between our actual level of social connection and our desired level of connection. Someone can experience the social isolation of loneliness even in a crowded room, and conversely, individuals may be objectively isolated but enjoy being alone. Many of us do say we're lonely: 1 in 5 Americans told Gallup in 2024 that they felt lonely for "a lot of the day yesterday."
In 2023, the then-US surgeon general proclaimed that loneliness is a health threat on par with smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily. The report concluded that the stress of loneliness can trigger the body to be on high alert, leading to health complications, including higher blood pressure and inflammation. Loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 26% and boosts the risks of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and depression.
Volunteering can be one way to combat loneliness. Feeling like you have something to offer, are appreciated, and spending time with other like-minded people with a shared sense of purpose can be very satisfying—whether it's cleaning up neighborhood trash, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or tutoring students.
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Formal data collection on loneliness is recent, limiting historical comparisons from before the year 2000. That means statements about how people are more lonely than ever before are difficult to prove or disprove.
The US surgeon general proclaimed in 2023 that loneliness is a health risk on par with smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily. In an 81-page report, the then-surgeon general noted that loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 26%.
This report details the specific health threats linked with loneliness, including that loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of premature death by nearly 30%. Loneliness also lowers our capability to mount an effective immune response to viruses and respiratory illness, increases the risks for anxiety, depression, and dementia, and boosts the risks of heart disease and stroke.
Twenty percent of US adults said they felt lonely "a lot of the day yesterday" in Gallup polling conducted in 2024. The survey was conducted with more than 6,000 adults who took part in a web survey.
One can experience loneliness even in a crowded room. Isolation refers to social disconnection whereas loneliness is the distress that comes from lacking human connection and perceived isolation.
Mounting evidence suggests that socialization is a vital component of maintaining good health. Research published in 2024 from Mayo Clinic researchers analyzed the social lives of more than 280,000 adults and concluded that individuals that weren't likely to participate in extracurricular social activities and get-togethers were more likely to have a biological age older than their actual age—meaning that you may be 60 but health indicators would suggest you're older.
Gathering—virtually or otherwise—with people going through a similar experience or navigating the same disease can make someone feel like they're part of a larger community. Participants can receive and offer support, and potentially learn tips that could improve their quality of life or lead them to other resources.
For younger generations, dating apps have become a primary avenue for creating romantic connections—leaving some users fatigued and contributing to increased feelings of loneliness.
Researchers have observed that though nostalgia can help counteract feelings of loneliness, our memories of the past are somewhat rose colored. Negative emotions seem to fade faster than positive ones, a phenomenon that they suggest may be a psychological coping mechanism so that memories don't hurt every time they're recalled. (Some users may experience a paywall.)
Tracey Crouch was appointed to this new position after the country's prime minister created the unprecedented job to tackle the country's loneliness issues. Survey data suggests that about 14% of the population—9 million people—often or always felt lonely in Britain at the time (in 2018).
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