The New York Times (5/2, Caron) reports, “Americans have become increasingly lonely and isolated, and this lack of social connection is having profound effects on our mental and physical health,” US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy “warned in an advisory” (PDF) issued on May 2.
The Washington Post (5/2, Nirappil) reports, “Loneliness presents a profound public health threat akin to smoking and obesity,” Murthy cautioned in the advisory “that aims to rally Americans to spend more time with each other in an increasingly divided and digital society.” He “said half of U.S. adults experience loneliness, which has consequences for mental and physical health, including a greater risk of depression, anxiety – and perhaps more surprisingly, heart disease, stroke and dementia.” The advisory “calls for a collective effort to ‘mend the social fabric of our nation,’ including teaching children how to build healthy relationships; talking more to relatives, friends and co-workers; and spending less time online and on social media if it comes at the expense of in-person interactions.”
According to the AP (5/2, Seitz), even though this “declaration is intended to raise awareness around loneliness,” it “won’t unlock federal funding or programming devoted to combatting the issue.”
Also covering the story are ABC News (5/2, Egan), The Hill (5/2, Sforza), and CNN (5/2, Dillinger)
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