It’s important to note that in the United States health care system, we tend to focus on physical illness and don’t focus enough on mental health or on vision, dental care, or hearing-areas where we really need to support people. Second, as people get older, they often encounter difficulties with hearing and vision, and not being able to hear well, in particular, can be a significant barrier to engaging with others. One is that, as people get older, sometimes they experience greater illness, which can limit their ability to physically go out and see others. There are several reasons why that’s happening. VM: Many societies that would consider themselves part of modern-day culture are finding that they have high levels of loneliness among older populations. Is that pattern common around the world or more unique to the U.S.? JS: You write that a third of Americans over 45 years old consider themselves to be lonely. We may chalk these up to other conditions or concerns, but many of these states have their roots (at least partially) in loneliness.

It can look like irritability and anger, fatigue, reclusiveness, depression, or anxiety. Loneliness can actually manifest in different ways with different people. We often look around us and see people who are seemingly leading happy lives-certainly on their social media feeds-and we assume that we’re the only ones who are struggling.Īlso, loneliness is hard to see because it doesn’t always look like the stereotype of a person sitting alone in a corner. We can be at a party, surrounded by people, and still feel lonely. It can be hard to admit loneliness, even to a spouse.

They think it’s equivalent to admitting that they are not likable or that they’re socially insufficient in some way. People who feel lonely often are ashamed to admit it. Loneliness, unfortunately, carries stigma with it. Vivek Murthy: I think part of the reason we underestimate the loneliness of people is that it’s often hidden.

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