Oct 30, 2025
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared that loneliness in America was an epidemic and urged researchers to find a solution for the loneliness that was sweeping the nation.
Since then, the term “loneliness epidemic” has caught on. There’s more conversation about how lonely and isolated we all feel than ever before, but major strides to build community and bring us back together have yet to make any real headway.
What is the loneliness epidemic? Is it real? And how can we stop feeling so lonely? This article explores all that and more.
What Does It Feel Like to Be Lonely? The 4 Types of Loneliness
How to feel less lonely will depend on the type of loneliness you experience. Although all loneliness is detrimental, some might be harder to overcome than others. There are four types of loneliness:
- Emotional Loneliness: The absence of a close emotional attachment, such as a romantic partner or best friend, leading to feelings of emptiness or abandonment.
- Social Loneliness: A lack of a broader social network or community, causing feelings of isolation or exclusion from groups or social circles.
- Situational Loneliness: Loneliness triggered by specific life events or changes, such as moving to a new city, losing a job, or experiencing a breakup.
- Chronic Loneliness: A deeper, more abstract sense of isolation stemming from the awareness of one’s individuality and the fundamental separateness of human experience.
Chronic loneliness will be the hardest to unlearn and overcome, as you have to address deeply held beliefs about yourself and society. Therapy can be very helpful in this process.
What Is the Loneliness Epidemic?
Loneliness in America has always been a problem, at least in recent decades. The fast-paced work environment, emphasis on individualism and personal growth over community growth, and the sweeping tide of social media all had their role to play in our rising levels of loneliness. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and we were forced to self-isolate from our communities and support systems. Loneliness hit an all-time high.
Studies have shown that around half of people say they feel lonely, and around 16-20% say they feel lonely all or most of the time. (Slightly down from the pandemic’s 25%, but still an all-time high otherwise.)
What’s causing loneliness? There’s no one reason, but studies have also pointed to:
- Fewer friendships
- More time self-isolating
- Under employment
- Fewer people in long-term relationships
In short, we don't have coworkers, neighbors, or friends anymore. Many of us have our phones, and that’s it.
An epidemic is a disease or other health-related outbreak that spreads throughout a limited region. (This differentiates it from a pandemic, which is a worldwide outbreak, similar to Covid-19.) For example, a smoking epidemic could be used to describe a sharp increase in smoking.
The loneliness epidemic is not harmless, either. In his initial report, Murthy warned of numerous detrimental health effects, including that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death in a way similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day (around 30%).
The loneliness epidemic is not just an issue of mental health, but physical health too.
What About the Male Loneliness Epidemic?
In recent months, the term “male loneliness epidemic” has become popular. But there might be less truth behind this epidemic than the loneliness epidemic.
The claim that men are experiencing loneliness more severely than women is untrue. A Pew study done in 2025 showed that men and women experience similar levels of loneliness. So why the focus on male loneliness in particular?
However, men are less likely to seek therapy and more likely to have suicidal thoughts and ideation, a concerning trend that might have to do with the rising rates of loneliness.
What Is the Effect of Loneliness?
Loneliness is not harmless. For many people, it’s not a passing feeling of discomfort and disconnect. Loneliness can feel like a grime you can’t ever shake. Even when you’re feeling happiness or satisfaction, it’s still there, tainting your mood, experience, and outlook.
Murthy initially urged people to look into the loneliness epidemic because people are dying from loneliness.
Loneliness can increase your risk for:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Heart disease and stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Suicidality and self-harm
- Dementia
- Earlier death
Loneliness kills, but finding your way out of loneliness can be tricky. Let’s look at some strategies to help you do it.
How Can We Stop the Loneliness Epidemic?
Loneliness can be a self-defeating spiral: you feel lonely, so you stay inside on your phone all night. This makes you feel lonelier and worse about yourself, which makes you want to self-isolate even more.
The biggest key to beating loneliness? Get out there and try new things. Yes, it will be uncomfortable at first. It probably won’t cure your loneliness right away, either. In fact, you might feel lonelier at first, as you see everyone around you and still feel distant from them.
Don’t stop putting yourself out there and trying to form new relationships and deepen old ones. It gets easier, and eventually you will form those close connections.
Some tips to beating loneliness include:
- Reach out to people you already know: Making new friends is notoriously hard as an adult. But what about old friends? Your existing friends and family probably miss you. Reach out and invite someone over, or go do an activity together. It doesn’t have to be perfect, fun, and deeply connecting at first. The goal is to get used to hanging out with people.
- Practice some self-love: Self-love alone won’t heal the loneliness epidemic, but it might help many people. Ask yourself why you are lonely. Is it because you miss people, connection, and being a part of a community? Or is it because you need other people to validate yourself? Self-love can help you find validation, esteem, and confidence for yourself, so you don’t have to chase others to find it.
- Learn to forgive others: We’re in an era of “protecting your peace”. While boundaries are always recommended and encouraged by mental health professionals, it’s possible that we’ve protected our peace so much that we aren't letting anyone in anymore. Decide for yourself what behaviors are unacceptable and relationship-ending, and what behaviors are forgivable.
- Give back to your community: True community is a give and take. You help others in your community, and they’ll help you. Many people are missing this giving from their relationships, and it’s making them feel lonely. Maybe you drop off a dinner for a friend, offer to take your mom to the airport, or volunteer at a local organization.
- Take a digital detox: All that loneliness you feel? It might be the phone. Social media can give the guise of connecting people, but leave us feeling more disconnected than ever. Take a digital detox, get outside, and talk to people face-to-face.
- Find a third space: A “third space” is a place you can gather that isn’t work or home and that doesn’t cost a lot of money. Things like libraries, cafes, parks, gyms, bookstores, community spaces, or bars are all places that can become third spaces. Find a place that you like and visit there often. Get to know the space and the people in it. Become connected to a physical location to beat loneliness.
- Be available: It’s a simple thing, but simply being available and down to do things can be a huge help in beating the loneliness epidemic. A friend needs help moving? Offer your car. Does anyone want to see a movie? Tag along, even if it isn’t your favorite genre. Stop waiting for the perfect moment to find a perfect friendship, and start taking advantage of little bits of community and connection. Over time, it’s these little outings and moments that will build a web of strong community.
If you are struggling, reach out for help. A professional therapist can help you navigate loneliness and treat any underlying disorders like depression or anxiety. Remember that loneliness is a serious issue and deserves the time of day to be treated seriously. Take steps to protect yourself from the more serious side effects of loneliness by talking with a therapist today.
