, Columnist
The Epidemic of Isolation Is as Harmful as Smoking
A new report shows loneliness can be as detrimental to our health as puffing 15 cigarettes a day. And it offers practical fixes.
Alone.
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Your doctor’s orders for staying healthy might include a daily routine of eating your broccoli, going to the gym and getting a good night’s sleep. Now, the US surgeon general would like to add another action item to the list: Reach out to a friend.
In a new report, Vivek Murthy says that the US is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation that can be as harmful to our health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Murthy also offers practical fixes: public policies and spaces that bring people together, as well as simple things like texting a friend or volunteering.