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Loneliness

Feeling alone isn't a personal failing. It's a health issue — and there are proven ways to ease it.

Loneliness is the painful feeling that your connections don't meet your needs. You can feel lonely in a crowd or content alone. Social isolation — having few contacts — is related but different.

In 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General called loneliness a public health epidemic, linking it to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression and early death. Even before the pandemic, about half of U.S. adults reported measurable loneliness. It is common after moving, retiring, losing a partner, becoming a caregiver, or when hearing or mobility decline.

What it can feel like

  • Feeling left out or not understood
  • Having no one to call when something happens
  • Feeling empty even around other people
  • Long stretches without real conversation
  • Pulling away because contact feels effortful
  • Expecting rejection
Loneliness can make us more alert to rejection, which makes reaching out feel riskier. Knowing this trap is the first step to stepping out of it.

What helps — and how sure we are

Working with lonely thinking

Moderate evidence

A meta-analysis found the most effective loneliness interventions addressed the thinking traps loneliness creates — like assuming others don't want to hear from you.

Try a thought check →

Regular, small contact

Moderate evidence

Brief, frequent connection builds more than rare big events. Schedule a weekly call.

Group activities with a shared purpose

Promising

Volunteering, classes, faith communities, walking groups — doing something together makes talking easier. Tai chi classes are a good example.

Try tai chi basics →

Treating hearing loss

Limited research

Hearing loss quietly isolates people. Getting hearing checked and using aids can make conversation feel possible again.

A friendly voice on the phone

Limited research

The Friendship Line (1-800-971-0016) is open 24/7 for people 60+ and adults with disabilities — not only in crisis.

More for older adults →

Something small for today

  • Send one message to someone you haven't heard from in a while.
  • Say a few words to a neighbor, cashier or driver.
  • Look up one group, class or volunteer role near you.
  • Send a “minute of calm” to someone you care about.
  • Notice if you're assuming someone doesn't want to hear from you — and test it.
Send someone a minute of calm

When to get help

If loneliness has turned into persistent sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest, it may have become depression — worth a check-in and a conversation with a doctor.

If you're thinking about suicide or feel you might hurt yourself, call or text 988 now, or call 911 if you're in immediate danger.

Sources

Reviewed September 2026. Education only — not a substitute for professional care.

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