"In 2023, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness - exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic - an epidemic posing a major public health concern. People experiencing loneliness are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death than their socially active peers. A 2024 poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that 30% of adults reported feeling lonely at least once a week over the past year,"
"while 10% said they felt lonely every day. Younger adults were more likely to report these feelings: 30% of Americans ages 18-34 said they were lonely every day or several times a week. Single adults were nearly twice as likely as married adults to say they had been lonely on a weekly basis over the past year (39% vs. 22%)."
Valentine's Day can amplify social isolation for millions who experience loneliness. In 2023 then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, an epidemic and major public health concern. Loneliness is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death. A 2024 American Psychiatric Association poll found 30% of adults felt lonely at least weekly and 10% felt lonely daily, with younger and single adults disproportionately affected. Brooklyn-based Baltic Street Wellness Solutions launched a loneliness campaign, provides trauma-informed peer-led services, and is researching how AI affects users who seek emotional support.
Read at Brooklyn Paper
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