Understanding Loneliness

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Social isolation and loneliness are a major public health concern.

Social engagement is an important component of human experience.

Even brief, casual social interactions can positively impact well-being.

In the United States and across the globe, the rise in loneliness and social isolation has become a major social and public health concern (Goldman et al., 2026; Holt-Lunstad, 2024; Murthy, 2023). A review by researchers in World Health Organization (WHO) countries reveals that “loneliness and social isolation are prevalent across all age groups and geographic regions” (Goldman, 2026).

Why Social Connection Matters for Well-Being

We are social beings. Social connection is fundamentally associated with well-being, resilience, and a longer lifespan (Holt-Lunstad, 2024). Perhaps it’s no surprise that research links loneliness with risk factors for physical and mental illness, mortality, low educational attainment, and unemployment.

Relationships and social connections are fundamental to many experiences in life—from joys to sorrows, love to hate, meaning to meaninglessness, engagement to disengagement— and all that we encounter amid the tumult of our lives. During life’s challenges, social connection can be the tether that helps us stay connected.

The longitudinal Harvard Study of Adult Development confirms that relationships are a central component of a happy, healthy life. This study began in 1938 and continues to the present. According to Robert Waldinger, MD, longitudinal evidence shows that people who build connections and........

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