Loneliness worries public health experts

Science is accumulating evidence that social isolation and loneliness not only cause emotional discomfort, but lead to poorer physical health, poorer mental health, and greater risk of premature death. A report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in six people worldwide are affected by loneliness and links the problem to more than 871,000 deaths per year. Drawing on the latest evidence, the report calls on policymakers, researchers and all sectors to treat “social health” with the same urgency as physical and mental health.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, former United States Secretary of Health and author of the book “Together – The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World,” says he was shocked to discover how serious the health consequences of loneliness are. “I did not realize that social isolation was associated with significant increases in depression and anxiety, as well as heart disease, dementia and premature death. These factors have reinforced the idea that loneliness is a public health threat, affecting millions of people.”

The warning also appears in the US Surgeon General’s report on loneliness and isolation, which places social connection as a public health priority and summarizes the risk didactically: a lack of connection can be as harmful as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Behind that, there are numbers. A meta-analysis led by Julianne Holt-Lunstad and published in PLOS Medicine found that people with stronger social connections have about a 50% greater chance of survival than people with weaker ties.

Important: being alone is not synonymous with loneliness. Loneliness is the subjective experience of disconnection and can appear even with a busy schedule. The WHO distinguishes loneliness from social isolation and recalls that people of all ages can experience it. Yet one in three older people feel alone. When it becomes chronic, the effects of loneliness seem measurable. A Harvard study highlights that 21% of those surveyed reported suffering from severe loneliness. Nearly 70% of single adults reported social-emotional loneliness. For example, they don’t feel like they’re part of meaningful groups and don’t have enough close friends or family. A similar number of respondents reported existential loneliness, with 65% of single adults reporting feeling deeply disconnected from others and the world.

A study published in the journal Nature indicates that older women (30.9%) and institutionalized older people (50.7%) had the highest prevalence of loneliness. A review of 189 articles revealed significant factors related to loneliness. Overall, the results of this survey showed that almost one in four older people around the world feel alone. Given the association of loneliness with several health, clinical, and social factors, including depression, suicidal ideation, and mortality, and the projected increase in the elderly population, mental health professionals and public policymakers need to develop and implement interventions to alleviate loneliness among older adults.

Writer Heloísa Paiva, author of “50+ Awaken to life and stop suffering,” cites social isolation as a significant risk factor for the mental health of menopausal and post-menopausal women, life stages that often coincide with changes in their social and family connections. “Maintaining friendly relationships is essential not only to reduce the risk of loneliness, but also to promote physical well-being, as women with an emotional support network tend to take better care of their health, engage in physical activities and seek medical attention when necessary. »

Another aspect mentioned by the author in his book is that friendships are also important in dealing with the challenges that arise in middle age, such as hormonal and mood changes. “Friends, especially those going through the same experiences, can offer a unique form of support and understanding, helping to alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with the menopause transition,” he says – emphasizing that cultivating friendships in maturity can clearly be a protective factor against the development of depression and anxiety, conditions more prevalent in women at this stage of life.

Heloísa reveals eight simple attitudes, with a cumulative effect, that help transform intentions into concrete social life:

1. Make a list of the names of three people you know superficially and send an objective message, suggesting a coffee or virtual chat to strengthen ties.
2. Recover old friendships easily. Search for old friends on social media and suggest a free, easy meeting.
3. Create a ritual of consistency. For example, a fixed biweekly meeting with a friend or a small group to exchange confidences.
4. Create opportunities for new friendships with context, such as classes, book clubs, volunteering, hikes, activities in which people spend time together.
5. Replace quantity with quality, reducing automatic interactions and investing in in-depth conversations, with real questions and active listening.
6. Practice reciprocity, that is, ask for help when needed and offer help whenever possible. Confidence grows from front to back.
7. Take care of the initial friction in every relationship. Example: agree on a date and location for meetings, facilitate logistics and start small. The connection is built more by frequency than by intensity.
8. Treat connection as a care, not a luxury. She needs space, tolerance, flexibility and appreciation like any health priority.

“Friendship in adult life depends less on ‘instant chemistry’ than on repeated context. Seeing the same person over time, in a safe environment, makes intimacy grow. For 2026, the proposal could be concrete: for 30 days, schedule one reconnection per week and start a new face-to-face conversation in a space of common interest,” suggests the writer.

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