Americans are suffering from a lonely pandemic that is endangering their health, happiness, and feelings of belonging.
Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, published advice on Tuesday that outlines the foundation for a “National Strategy to Advance Social Connection.”
The warning sounds the alarm regarding the situation. Murthy earlier released a book on establishing social connections and minimizing loneliness and most recently authored an opinion article discussing his struggles with loneliness.
According to the advice, half of American adults claimed to be lonely even before the pandemic, which made the issue worse.
“Our pandemic of isolation and feeling alone has been a neglected public health disaster that has been damaging to both individual and social health. Our connections are a hidden root of recovery and happiness that can improve the quality of our lives and make us happier, healthier, and more successful,” according to Murthy.