LONELINESS IS ONE OF THE MOST URGENT

SOCIAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES OF OUR TIME. 


The Cost of Loneliness Project™ catalyzes a national imperative to spark commitment to,

and investment in, combating loneliness and its devastating emotional, physical, and economic consequences.

 
 
 
 
 

THE PREMISE

Loneliness is often defined as the distressing feeling generated by a lack of meaningful, intimate, and reciprocal interactions. One might describe it as emotional isolation. Exacerbated by its gross under-recognition, loneliness is rapidly emerging as the great public health crisis of our time. Academic research and an onslaught of headline news reveal that loneliness is to suicide, addiction, bullying, obesity, gastro-intestinal disease, metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hematological conditions, and more, as poor hygiene is to infection. While loneliness is not the only cause of these and other consequences, it is a highly significant one. Loneliness can be, in a word, deadly. Just as the loss of millions of lives to infection in the 14th and 19th centuries required combating terrifyingly poor hygiene, today we must battle loneliness to prevent a public health catastrophe, both economically and personally. While many organizations throughout our country are deeply dedicated to preventing and battling the consequences of loneliness and supporting our communities, The Cost of Loneliness Project™ seeks to provide a unifying voice to recognize and combat loneliness across all demographics. It is our current healthcare imperative. 

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  • Between 25-45% of American adults report being chronically lonely. (Fortune, June 2016)

  • Loneliness increases the odds of a premature death by 26%. (J.Cacioppo, Univ. of Chicago)

  

 
 
 
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Why Now?

The last 20 years have arguably seen the most rapid transformation to our social health in the history of humankind.  We must take a collective deep breath and evaluate the impact of these socially disruptive changes, such as: excessive social media use, decreased organizational memberships, fewer and delayed marriage/partnership, increased working from home, unemployment, a surging senior population, limited outside play and experiences with nature, and reduced time to build meaningful relationships. Each of these drivers impact feelings of community and belonging, sense of individual purpose, and reciprocal intimacy in harmful ways. As naturally social beings, humans may find the impact of these drivers devastating; in turn, increasing loneliness, stress, and physical and emotional outcomes. We must pause now and plan our future to maximize these feelings of community, sense of purpose, and overall intimacy.

 

Loneliness is one of, but not the only, cause of such devastating outcomes as: suicide, substance abuse, and major depressive disorder. Imagine if reducing loneliness could reduce the striking costs, both societally and individually, of these and other consequences. 

  • Suicide Costs The Us Approximately $51 Billion Annually. (CDC Estimates For Treatment And Productivity)

  • Substance Abuse Costs The Us Approximately $700 Billion Annually. (NIDA)

  • Major Depressive Disorder, Suicide, And Addiction Cost The Us Approximately $960 Billion Annually. (CDC, NIMH)

 

We're just getting started

 

The Cost of Loneliness Project™ will connect, convene, and catalyze to identify challenges and research needs; to innovate, share, and leverage solutions; to serve as a resource repository on loneliness; to increase awareness of the costs of loneliness with a goal of destigmatizing this devastating condition; and to create a platform for sharing ideas and solutions. The project will accomplish this through the following mechanisms (not all inclusive): relationship building, advocacy group support, ambassador outreach, personal outreach, a robust website, podcasts, education, speaking engagements, annual summits, working salons, newsletters, and recognition.

Launching with a diverse coalition of influential experts and a compelling multimedia strategy, our goal is to transform the cultural mindset from treatment of the symptoms and outcomes to prevention of the cause.