Addressing the Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation

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I recently listened to an inspiring interview with Vivek Murthy, the current U. S. surgeon general.

Murthy has been instrumental in both the Barack Obama and Joe Biden administrations, influencing public policies related to the opioid crisis, e-cigarette use, COVID-19, water contamination, and other health risks.

His conversation with journalist David Greene focused on what Murthy views as an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation in our culture and how a lack of social connection negatively affects individual and community well-being.

After completing a listening tour of the United States in 2023, Murthy wrote an official advisory on the topic, in which he shared,

“People began to tell me they felt isolated, invisible, and insignificant. Even when they couldn’t put their finger on the word 'lonely,' time and time again, people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds from every corner of the country would tell me, ‘I have to shoulder all of life’s burdens by myself,’ or ‘If I disappear tomorrow, no one will even notice.’”

As he moved beyond the anecdotal to the realm of medical and social research, Murthy compiled a vast amount of data demonstrating that loneliness and disconnection are linked to many biological and psychological disorders that dramatically diminish the quality of life and shorten lifespan.

The 80-page advisory (referenced below) cites extensive data connecting loneliness with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The effect on mortality is reported to be equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day.

The causes and drivers of this ongoing health hazard give us pause and warrant a broad and serious societal response. Murthy leads the way with a somber but optimistic tone as he sheds light on the problem and its potential solutions.

From Murthy's perspective, technology, particularly the internet and social media, appear to be the biggest culprits. In addition, political polarization and the clash of values Americans have experienced in recent decades make people more reluctant to express themselves freely for fear of rejection or angry opposition. The isolation advised during the COVID-19 pandemic also hasn't helped people stay connected to one another.

These factors have changed our daily patterns of living.

• Instead of shopping at stores, we can have our groceries and almost anything else delivered to our door, where we don’t have to make contact with another human being.
• Career pressures sometimes necessitate long hours at work with little energy left to cultivate deep relationships.
• In families, much time that could be spent connecting and building relationships is stolen by family members being glued to their phones and other screens.
• People with many “friends” on social media often come to realize that this does not meet their need for meaningful, intimate connection and care. Murthy points out that the number of friends we have is not as important as the quality of a few relationships with the people closest to us. These are the people we can call at 3 am when we are in a crisis. These are the ones that let us know that we are not alone.

Especially poignant in the interview was Murthy’s appeal to the need for love and mutual care that is imprinted on our souls. He says, “There’s no medicine that’s more powerful than love.”

He suggests that if we can’t physically be with the people with whom we wish to build and maintain true connection, voices, and faces are much preferred to texts and emails.

Hearing a loved one’s voice affects our neurological and emotional well-being much more powerfully than reading a typed message. Video chats provide an even better opportunity to connect, as we can see and respond to facial expressions and gestures, and not merely words and tone of voice. But there is no substitute for being physically present.

We don’t need a truckload of data to understand this. We know by instinct that our very survival depends on our connection to other people. Murthy’s advisory simply makes it official: loneliness is an epidemic that we need to talk about and address daily in our respective spheres of influence.

This quote from Murthy sums up how we can begin to be part of the solution:

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"Each of us can start now, in our own lives, by strengthening our connections and relationships. Our individual relationships are an untapped resource—a source of healing hiding in plain sight. They can help us live healthier, more productive, and more fulfilled lives. Answer that phone call from a friend. Make time to share a meal. Listen without the distraction of your phone. Perform an act of service. Express yourself authentically. The keys to human connection are simple but extraordinarily powerful."