Loneliness Epidemic Growing into Biggest Threat to Public Health - UPDATED

Loneliness and social isolation could be a greater public health hazard than obesity, and their impact will continue to grow, according to research presented at the 125th annual convention of the American Psychological Association.

“Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need — crucial to both well-being and survival. Extreme examples show infants in custodial care who lack human contact fail to thrive and often die, and indeed, social isolation or solitary confinement has been used as a form of punishment,” said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University.

“Yet an increasing portion of the U.S. population now experiences isolation regularly.” Read More

Related Article:
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How might your church respond to the growing problem of loneliness and social isolation in our society? Do you have any ideas that you might like to share with Anglicans Ablaze readers?