Loneliness is not just a temporary emotion—it is fast becoming one of the major health issues in America. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has gone as far as calling loneliness an epidemic, nd he said that loneliness is not just “a bad feeling.” Besides, the data support his assertion: nearly one-third of U.S. adults say they are lonely, and about one in four reports that they lack social and emotional support.
Who, then, are the people most affected by this epidemic? The answer may shock you. The assumption that the old are the loneliest is very simple; however, recent studies have given a different angle to the story. People aged 30 to 44 years old report the highest rates of frequent loneliness, with 29% indicating they feel lonely “frequently” or “always.” Young adults aged 18-29 are not far behind, with 24% stating they have similar feelings. To top it all, a report from the Making Caring Common Project at Harvard University found that 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children experience “serious loneliness.” Furthermore, adults 65 years and older have the lowest reports of loneliness, with only 10% saying that they are lonely.
Loneliness has no or very little bias against gender, race, or political ideology; however, it hits certain groups harder. Adults of more than one racial identity have reported significantly higher levels of loneliness than anyone else—42% within this group say that they are lonely. Apart from that, money also factors in: the least lonely people are the Americans whose annual income is below $30,000. Twenty-nine percent of these reported that they were frequently lonely, while this percentage for those whose income was over $100,000 was 18%.
So what is loneliness really? Loneliness is not only that one is by himself or does not have a social life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes loneliness as “the feeling that one does not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging.” This is the difference between the relationships you want and the ones that you actually have. One can be with other people—even family members—and still feel very disconnected. As the Making Caring Common Project puts it, social isolation is just not the same as loneliness; one may have many contacts but still feel lonely if these contacts are shallow or lacking in meaning.
The health implications of loneliness are staggering. Loneliness, if it remains, can activate the body’s stress reaction, which results in the release of stress hormones. These hormones, when produced over time, increase one’s chances of getting heart disease, cancer, stroke, high blood pressure, and even dementia. Studies led by psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Brigham Young University show a comparison between the health risks of loneliness and isolation and smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The mental health issue is as serious as the physical one. The Making Caring Common Project discovered that 81% of lonely adults also suffer from anxiety or depression, in contrast to 29% of those who are less lonely.
So, what is the cause of this epidemic? To put it simply, technology has its pros and cons. The majority of Americans concur that technology plays a big role in getting and maintaining relationships, yet many also think that it leads to loneliness. According to a national survey, 73% of those interviewed said that the use of technology was a factor in America’s loneliness problem. Social media, with its tailored content and continuous connection, may, paradoxically, make one feel more isolated or FOMO (fear of missing out). People are never as interconnected as they once were, although many of them feel alone.
The other factors are, among others, little time for the family, overwork, and a culture that emphasizes individualism rather than community. Sixty-six percent of Americans attribute loneliness to a lack of family time, and 62% say that being busy or tired is the major cause of loneliness. Sixty percent of the participants in the survey blamed living in an “overly individualistic society.” The transformation of work—more remote and hybrid schedules—also gives a hand, as does the absence of religion or spirituality for some people.
How do the people in the United States handle loneliness? People have different methods, just like people are different. One of the ways half of the adults used, which is mentioned by the American Psychiatric Association, is the use of distractions like TV, podcasts, and social media. Others prefer taking a walk, going out with friends or family, spending time with an animal, or doing sports. Some, especially young adults, may resort to food, drugs, or alcohol. The number of those who go to a therapist or counselor for help is quite small, and the number of those who participate in volunteering or community service is even smaller.
However, there is still a ray of hope. On being asked about the solutions, Americans most of the time vote for and support actions like reaching out to family or friends, learning self-love, being more forgiving, and finding ways to help others. Experts such as those at the Making Caring Common Project recommend the building of a caring and helping culture through activities like collective service, which is one way of forming significant relationships and feeling a sense of purpose and, therefore, limiting the feeling of loneliness. The call to public and private leaders is to invest in social infrastructure, thus constructing more accessible public spaces and community events that are more connection-focused.
In the end, dealing with loneliness is more than just one person’s endeavor. It’s a matter of transforming the culture in question, our workplaces, and our communities in such a way that real, meaningful, and human connections come first. As Dr. Murthy says, if we really want to be healthy, happy, and fulfilled as a society, then we should organize our lives around people and not just work.