Loneliness epidemic
The loneliness epidemic is an ongoing trend of loneliness and social isolation experienced by people in the United States and across the globe.[1][2] The uptick began in the 2010s and was exacerbated by the isolating effects of social distancing, stay-at-home orders, and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][3]
In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy published a United States Department of Health and Human Services advisory on the impact of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States.[3] The report likened the dangers of loneliness to other public health threats such as smoking and obesity.[4][5] In November 2023, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a "global public health concern" and launched an international commission to study the problem.[6][7]