How to Combat Loneliness, A Common Condition

November 07, 2024

A father and his adult daughter working in a community garden

Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a public health alert, calling loneliness an epidemic. Nearly half of adults report significant loneliness.

Loneliness raises the risk of premature death. It also increases the risk of dementia, depression, heart disease and stroke. Loneliness doesn’t just affect older people, but many young people as well, says University Hospitals psychiatrist Andrew Hunt, MD. He shares common factors contributing to the rise in loneliness – from technology to changes in social dynamics – and strategies for improving social connections.

Loneliness on the Rise

“We used to spend more time talking with people, and being face-to-face with friends, family and co-workers. Now we do less of that,” Dr. Hunt says. “People’s experience of social isolation has increased, so we’re generally having less in-person contact with others.”

For young people, technology and social media often replaces in-person contact, or worsens feelings of disconnection. “If you use social media to connect with friends and to plan outings and get together with people, great. That’s a social glue,” says Dr. Hunt. “But if you find yourself mostly online and you’re using it instead of interacting with others and the world, then it becomes something that wastes time at best—or at worst may be causing negative effects.”

“For people who are elderly, maybe you lose your spouse at some point, or maybe your disabilities start to crop up and then you feel like you can’t get out, you can’t be with people. Maybe you have problems with vision and hearing that make you feel increasingly isolated,” says Dr. Hunt. “At each stage of life, we’re looking at different causes and different challenges.”

Mental Health Impact

Loneliness and depression are highly correlated. “We think it’s a two-way street where people who are more depressed feel lonelier, and people who are lonelier are more likely to be depressed,” says Dr. Hunt. “Individuals who have mental health issues might be more likely to experience loneliness and the negative health consequences related to it.”

However, loneliness and solitude are different things, Dr. Hunt says. Loneliness is emotional distress that comes from social isolation. But being alone isn’t necessarily a negative for all people. It can be comforting to people who enjoy solitude.

“Some people really enjoy their solitude, and that’s great,” says Dr. Hunt. “They might find it’s a time that they can be creative. They can let themselves relax and recharge, and that’s great. If that’s sort of the balance you’ve struck with the sense of solitude, I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“But if you’re spending too much time by yourself, and you don’t rejuvenate the connections in your life, it can be counterproductive to your health.”

Other Health Effects

Loneliness increases cortisol, a stress hormone that affects the way the body manages inflammation. Cortisol can weaken the immune system, increase blood sugar and raise the risk of heart disease.

“We think that cortisol plays a key role in a lot of the health effects related to loneliness,” Dr. Hunt says. Being more socially connected can reduce the negative health effects of stress, says Dr. Hunt says. Research has shown that stress hormones decrease in response to a sense of social belonging and connectedness.

“When you generate social belonging, you produce a lot of positive reactions in the brain and in the body. You also create social connections that help you have more positive experiences and deal with problems in a more supported way,” says Dr. Hunt.

What Can Be Done

Dr. Hunt says the Surgeon General’s report is an important document that outlines steps that can be taken to reduce the burden of loneliness. The recommendations include strengthening social programs, reforming digital environments and enacting public policies such as paid family leave that support social connection.

Here are some simple steps anyone can take to improve their sense of belonging and social connection:

Take time each day to reach out to a friend or family member
Volunteer to support others in your community, at food kitchens, hospitals or other community service organizations.
Join social and community groups, such as fitness, religious, professional or community service organizations.
Get involved in your community with town halls, school board meetings and other events.
Curtail social media use and time spent in front of screens.
Minimize distractions during quality time with friends or family by putting away your phone.
Seek help if you’re struggling by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor or the 988 crisis line.