The cost of loneliness

CBS - Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called loneliness a public health epidemic, writing in a 2023 report that about half of U.S. adults say they've experienced it.
He suggested people combat "widespread pain and unhappiness" by cultivating community. 

"Community is a powerful source of life satisfaction and life expectancy," Murthy wrote in an essay published in January. "It's where we know each other, help each other, and find purpose in contributing to each other's lives."

He's not the only one bringing attention to social isolation.  Derek Thompson, staff writer for The Atlantic and author of "The Anti-Social Century," recently told "CBS Mornings Plus" that data shows Americans are spending more time alone year after year, decade after decade.

"There's actually never been a period in recorded history when Americans have spent so little time doing face-to-face socializing and so much time being alone," he said. 

In terms of mental health, people who experience prolonged loneliness are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. It can also affect mood and energy levels, Maggie Tipton, corporate director of psychological services at behavioral healthcare nonprofit Caron who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, told CBS News.

It can also impact our physical health, including sleep, our immune system and more, Tipton added. 

Psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma previously told "CBS Mornings" that loneliness is "a medical problem" that should be taken "very seriously."

"It's the equivalent of having somebody smoke 15 cigarettes per day, and we know that it affects our mind and our body," she said. "It increases our risk by 30% for heart disease, for stroke, 50% for dementia, and 60% for premature mortality."

According to Murthy's report, Americans spent about 20 minutes a day in person with friends in 2020, down from 60 minutes daily nearly two decades earlier.