Psych Bytes

Loneliness affects up to 3 out of 5 adults in the United States. For children, one out of every 10 reports having no friends. New research shows the health effects of loneliness are comparable to risk factors such as smoking cigarettes! Loneliness can seriously compromise physical health and quality of life – even leading to an earlier death. The U.K. recognized social isolation as such an issue, they appointed a Minister of Loneliness. Given this clear crisis, The Rabbit Effect author Dr. Kelli Harding concludes, “The data seems crystal clear: It’s time to take socializing as seriously as exercise, diet, and sleep.” Aside from physical health, here are a few other ways loneliness impacts us... Social Media Americans appear to be lonelier than ever, with Gen Z experiencing the most loneliness all of the generations. Despite more ways to connect with others, such as social media, social isolation is increasing. In fact, some research has found that decreasing social media use actually