Epidemic of loneliness threatens public health, says US surgeon general

Half of all Americans are experiencing a measurable level of loneliness and it is a serious threat to their health and to that of their communities, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has said in an opinion column in the New York Times.1

“Loneliness is more than just a bad feeling. When people are socially disconnected, their risk of anxiety and depression increases. So does their risk of heart disease (29%), dementia (50%), and stroke (32%). The increased risk of premature death associated with social disconnection is comparable to smoking …