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Loneliness: A Silent Epidemic and Its Impact on Health and Mental Health
Can Neuroscience Help?
Prevalence of Loneliness
Loneliness is more prevalent than many realize, highlighting the need for increased awareness and understanding. In 2023, the US Surgeon General released a national survey on loneliness, revealing a significant rise in profound loneliness. The trend began even before the pandemic. The Nationa survey provided information on loneliness and its manifestation in various forms across a spectrum of feelings.
Some people felt a decrease in self-worth, which contributed to self-consciousness and social phobia. Loneliness also led to physical and emotional reactions, including severe Anxiety, increased alcohol and cigarette use, and a heightened risk for depression (Volpe, 2024).
Understanding the neuroscience of loneliness and its profound impact on mental and physical health is crucial for change. Loneliness is not merely a fleeting emotion; it can seriously affect our well-being. This knowledge can motivate us to address this issue and its health implications, engaging us in a collective effort to combat loneliness.