Loneliness as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to US report

• In a recent report, the US Surgeon General revealed the impact of loneliness on physical wellbeing. 
• According to Dr Vivek Murthy, loneliness could be as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
• Feelings of loneliness and isolation were increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, with young adults hit the hardest. 
• Overuse of technology is another culprit which has led to increased feelings of loneliness among users.  

A recent advisory by the US Surgeon General stated that loneliness could be as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In the 81-page report titled Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, Dr Vivek Murthy took a closer look at the mortality impact of being socially disconnected, with claims that loneliness is associated with a greater risk of stroke, depression, dementia, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

The study, which focused on Americans, stated that people have become less connected to houses of worship, community organisations and their families and have experienced increased feelings of loneliness, according to the Morning Star.

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Young adults reported some of the highest rates of loneliness, and the pandemic was a big culprit when it came to people cutting down time with friends and reducing social circles.

"Given the profound consequences of loneliness and isolation, we have an opportunity, and an obligation, to make the same investments in addressing social connection that we have made in addressing tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis," the report stated.

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Another significant factor is technology. According to Associated Press, one study cited in the report claimed that those who spend two hours or more on social media every day were more than twice as likely to report feelings of social isolation compared to people who only use such apps for less than 30 minutes daily. 

Social media, in particular, is driving the increase in loneliness. 

"There's really no substitute for in-person interaction," Murthy told AP. "As we shifted to use technology more and more for our communication, we lost out on a lot of that in-person interaction."

The report was intended to raise awareness around the impact of loneliness but will not lead to any government-funded programmes to tackle the issue.