About one out of every two Americans experience measurable levels of loneliness at any given moment. That means nearly everyone has or will experience what Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has described as one of our generation’s most significant challenges — an epidemic of loneliness.
Defining Loneliness
Loneliness is more than just being physically alone or feeling sad; it can be brought on by loss or dramatic shifts in our lives. We’re also becoming increasingly disconnected, says Shannon Vyvijal from the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness. We are less involved in community groups, increasingly living alone, and 49% of Americans say they have three friends or fewer. Hyper-individualism and tribalism have made us believe we don’t need others, and our dependence on digital technologies has distracted us from forming genuine connections.
These consequences can be exacerbated during the holiday season. About 55% of people experienced loneliness during the 2022 holiday season, and many of those people said their experiences were worse than in 2021, according to the Coalition.
Health Consequences
Loneliness can increase a person’s risk for anxiety, depression, heart disease, and dementia. It also heightens the risk of premature death by 26%. Though loneliness affects people of all ages and across all demographics, young adults are twice as likely to be lonelier than older adults.
Loneliness’s invisibility is what makes it so harmful, and acknowledging it can help. “Loneliness is not a personal problem,” says Vyvijal. “It's not an individual flaw or a unique thing that you are only experiencing. It’s a structural, societal issue.”
What To Do About It
Engage in acts of service. Doing something for others, such as volunteering in our community, is a great way to connect and gives us a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
Use the buddy system. Connect with a friend who may also be feeling lonely and motivate one another. Schedule weekly check-ins or phone calls. Go to events and activities together. Meetup.org has a whole host of events and groups in Las Vegas.
Renegotiate your relationship with social media. The more we can push ourselves to form connections in person or even through a phone call, the more we can improve our sense of belonging.
(Check out the Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities, a toolkit created by the Coalition that Vyvijal says will suggest activities to rally your neighbors and friends to create engaged groups.)
➕ For more ideas, check out the New York Times’s guide on ways to find social connections during the holiday season.
