Loneliness poses risks as deadly as smoking: surgeon general

The U.S. surgeon general declared the latest public health pandemic Tuesday, saying widespread loneliness in the country creates health risks as fatal as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily and costs the health industry billions of dollars.

In an 81-page report from his office, Dr. Vivek Murthy stated half of U.S. people have felt lonely.

We realize that many people feel lonely. Hunger or thirst. “The body sends us a feeling when something we need for survival is missing,” Murthy told The Associated Press. “Millions of Americans struggle in the shadows, and that’s wrong. I issued this advise to shed light on a hardship too many are facing.”

The proclamation will raise awareness of loneliness but not federal funds or programming.

Americans, who have become less engaged with religious houses, community organizations, and even their own families in recent decades, have consistently reported an increase in loneliness, according to research. Over 60 years, single households have doubled.
COVID-19 spread, closing schools and workplaces and forcing millions of Americans to stay home alone.

The surgeon general found that people culled their buddy networks and spent less time with them during the coronavirus outbreak. In 2020, Americans spent 20 minutes with friends, down from 60 minutes nearly 20 years earlier.

15–24-year-olds are especially affected by loneliness. The same age group spent 70% less time with friends.

Loneliness increases the chance of premature death by approximately 30%, and poor social ties can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Isolation increases depression, anxiety, and dementia.

The surgeon general is urging employers, schools, technology companies, community organizations, parents, and others to improve national connectivity. He recommends consumers to join community groups and put down their phones when catching up with friends; employers to consider their remote work rules; and health systems to train doctors to understand the health hazards of loneliness.

The analysis found that persons who used social media for two hours or more a day were more than twice as likely to report feeling socially isolated as those who used it for less than 30 minutes.

Murthy claimed social media is causing loneliness. His analysis implies technology corporations shield children’s social media behavior.

“There’s really no substitute for in-person interaction,” Murthy added. We lost a lot of in-person interaction as we used technology more. How do we build technology to strengthen connections rather than weaken them?