U.S. Surgeon General declares loneliness a public health epidemic
BOSTON - People are feeling more alone than ever, putting them at risk for depression and other serious health problems, and the U.S. government is taking note.
This week the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, declared loneliness a public health epidemic in America, saying the health risks are as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day and are costing the healthcare system billions of dollars a year. Even before the pandemic, about half of U.S. adults surveyed said they had experienced loneliness, only made worse by the COVID lockdowns, separating us all from friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors.
Research has shown that a lack of social connection raises the risk of premature death by 30 percent and leads to higher rates of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, dementia, and suicide. Young people are suffering the worst, with 15 to 24-year-olds spending up to 70 percent less time with friends than two decades prior.
Dr. Murthy encourages families, workplaces, and schools to make efforts to improve social interaction and is calling on more federal funding to be invested in programs to fight loneliness and isolation in this country.
