The loneliness epidemic is an ongoing trend of

loneliness Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived or actual isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism that motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perc ...

and

social isolation Social isolation is a state of complete or near-complete lack of contact between an individual and society. It differs from loneliness, which reflects temporary and involuntary lack of contact with other humans in the world. Social isolation c ...

experienced by people across the globe. The increase may have begun in the 2010s and was exacerbated by the isolating effects of

social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious dise ...

stay-at-home orders A stay-at-home order, safer-at-home order, movement control order – also referred to by loose use of the terms quarantine, isolation, or lockdown – is an order from a government authority that restricts movements of a population as a mass qu ...

, and

deaths Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sho ...

during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Other factors credited for the increase include

individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote realizing one's goals and desires, valuing independence and self-reliance, and a ...

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

and

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

, economic inequality, lack of

social support Social support is the perception and actuality that one is cared for, has assistance available from other people, and, most popularly, that one is part of a supportive social network. These supportive resources can be emotional (e.g., nurturance), ...

, and lack of a

college degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into und ...

History of the study of loneliness

The

concept A concept is an abstract idea that serves as a foundation for more concrete principles, thoughts, and beliefs. Concepts play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied within such disciplines as linguistics, ...

of a "loneliness epidemic" began to gain attention before the COVID-19 pandemic, with researchers pointing to rising rates of

in the 2000s.

Robert D. Putnam Robert David Putnam (born January 9, 1941) is an American political scientist specializing in comparative politics. He is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. ...

’s 2000 study ''

Bowling Alone ''Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community'' is a 2000 nonfiction book by Robert D. Putnam. It was developed from his 1995 essay entitled "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital". Putnam surveys the decline of soc ...

'' was one of the first to identify loneliness as an epidemic, highlighting how decreased participation in civic life and

community groups Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other or share some common problem come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community buil ...

was weakening social bonds in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. In 2010, a systematic review and meta analysis by Holt-Lunstad, Smith, and Layton, stated that the "modern way of life in industrialized countries" is greatly reducing the quality of social relationships, partly due to people no longer living in close proximity with their extended families. The review notes that from 1990 to 2010, the number of Americans reporting no close confidants had tripled. A number of studies were published shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic by academics such as Claude S. Fischer and

Eric Klinenberg Eric M. Klinenberg (born 1970) is an American sociologist and a scholar of urban studies, culture, and media. He is currently Helen Gould Shepard Professor in Social Science and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York Univer ...

. While it wasn't always clear to all scholars that loneliness was an "epidemic," the studies did conclude that loneliness is indeed a serious issue, having a severe health impact on millions of people. In early 2021, shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...

’s Making Caring Common Project released its first ''Loneliness in America'' report, which linked the crisis to pandemic-driven isolation and identified significant loneliness, particularly among young adults and parents of young children. That same year, Richard Weissbourd's follow-up study found that around 36% of American adults reported chronic loneliness, a trend mirrored across several countries where lockdowns and

intensified social isolation. In

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, a comparative overview of the prevalence and determinants of loneliness and social isolation in the pre-COVID period was conducted by the

Joint Research Centre The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission's science and knowledge service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to European Union (EU) policy. Leadersh ...

of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

. The findings indicated that 8.6% of the adult population in Europe experience frequent loneliness and 20.8% experience social isolation, with

eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...

recording the highest prevalence of both phenomena. In

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, the annual national Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey has reported a steady 8% rise in agreement with the statement "I often feel very lonely" between 2009 and 2021, responses indicating "strongly agree" rose steadily by over 20% in that same time period. This is a reversal of the trend seen from the start of the survey in 2001 until 2009, where these figures had both been steadily decreasing. Together, these studies have spurred more recent efforts to examine and address loneliness as a

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

priority, in the U.S. and globally.

Causes of loneliness

Some authors identified

as a root cause of loneliness in

Western societies The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to various nations and states in Western Europe, Northern America, and Australasia; with some debate as to whether those in Eastern Europe and Latin America also constitute the West. ...

, particularly in the U.S. Scholars like Robert N. Bellah, in ''Habits of the Heart'', argue that American individualism weakens communal bonds, leading to social isolation and loneliness. Similarly,

Wendell Berry Wendell Erdman Berry (born August 5, 1934) is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. Closely identified with rural Kentucky, Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays o ...

’s essays emphasize how modern, profit-oriented social structures undermine community connection. Technology use is another significant factor. According to Capita, an American

think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...

that specializes in the study of loneliness, the overuse of

digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...

and

, especially among young people, often reduces real-life interactions and deepens feelings of isolation. In another essay titled ''The Good, The Bad & The Lonely'', Capita highlighted that

Gen Z Generation Z (often shortened to Gen Z), also known as zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 20 ...

experiences heightened loneliness, as they report lower

engagement An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''f ...

in community activities. Richard Weissbourd's research supports these findings, linking social media and

screen time Screen time is the amount of time electronic devices are used. Screen time, Screentime or Screen Time may also refer to: * Screen Time, an iOS and macOS feature that tracks how long devices are used * Screentime, an Australian-based television pr ...

to disconnection among U.S. youth. Economic challenges were also found to compound these issues. Low-wage workers and individuals in economically distressed areas experience higher levels of loneliness due to limited

social mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to one's current social location within a given socie ...

and access to community resources. Chris Arnade’s book ''Dignity'' describes how economic inequality isolates individuals, especially in lower-income communities. Meanwhile, a 2021 survey on the impact of parenthood on loneliness indicates that although parents report slightly more

than non-parents, single-person

households A household consists of one or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is impo ...

and low social support environments face increased isolation risks. Timothy P. Carney’s ''Family Unfriendly'' highlights policies that fail to support

stay-at-home parents Stay-at-home may refer to: * Stay-at-home dad, a male parent who is the main caregiver of the children and the home * Stay-at-home daughter, a woman who lives at home until she is married * Stay-at-home defenceman, a hockey defenceman who plays a ...

, contributing to isolation and mental health challenges.

Global responses to the loneliness epidemic

Since the 2010s, large-scale initiatives have been launched in countries including the

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

and the U.K. In November 2023, the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

declared loneliness a "global public health concern" and launched an international commission to study the problem.

United States

In the U.S., the loneliness epidemic has increasingly become a topic of public debate, particularly since May 2023, when the

U.S. Surgeon General The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. T ...

Vivek Murthy Vivek Hallegere Murthy (born July 10, 1977) is an American physician and a former vice admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general of the United States from 2015 to 2017 a ...

published a

United States Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...

advisory on the impact of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation. The report outlined the health risks of loneliness, including heart disease, stroke, and dementia, and likened the dangers of loneliness to other

threats such as

smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is combusted, and the resulting smoke is typically inhaled to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream of a person. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, whi ...

and

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...

. Following Murthy's advisory,

bipartisan Bipartisanship, sometimes referred to as nonpartisanship, is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system (especially those of the United States and some other western countries), in which opposing Political party, politica ...

legislative proposals emerged, notably the National Strategy for Social Connection Act led by Senator Chris Murphy. This proposed act aims to establish a federal office focused on addressing loneliness and promoting social connectedness through community and public health initiatives. The conversation around loneliness has since broadened to include state-level responses and greater

public awareness In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichke ...

, underscoring the need for systemic efforts to counteract this public health challenge. In September 2024, the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reported that metrics indicative of loneliness were especially common among Americans who lack a

Bibliography

* Bellah, R. N. (1985)
''Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life''

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...

. . * Putnam, R. D. (2001).
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community
'.

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group US ...

. . * Holt-Lunstad, J.; Smith, T. B.; Layton, J. B. (2010)
"Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review".
'' PLOS Medicine''. * Berry, W. (2010).
The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry
'. ReadHowYouWant. . * DiJulio, B.; Hamel, L.; Muñana, C.; Brodie, M. (2018)
"Loneliness and Social Isolation in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan: An International Survey"
''KFF''. * Arnade, C. (2019).
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America
'.

Penguin Publishing Group Penguin Group is a British trade book publisher and part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The new company was created by a merger that was finalised on 1 July 2013, with Bertelsmann initiall ...

. . * Baarck, J; D'hombres, B; Tintori, G (2021)
"Loneliness in Europe before and during the COVID-19 pandemic"
'' Joint Research Centre of the European Commission''. * Capita. (2022).
Social Connection Report: The Ties That Bind and Nurture
'. Capita.org. * Surkalim, D. L.; Luo, M.; Eres, R.; Gebel, K.; van Buskirk, J.; Bauman, A; et al. (2022)
"The prevalence of loneliness across 113 countries: systematic review and meta-analysis"
''

The BMJ ''The BMJ'' is a fortnightly peer-reviewed medical journal, published by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, which in turn is wholly-owned by the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world ...

''. * Carney, T. P. (2024).
Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be
'.

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...

. .

References

{{Interpersonal relationships footer Epidemiology Public health COVID-19 pandemic World Health Organization Mental health in the United States Social issues in the United States Mental health