VIEWPOINT | We need to treat loneliness as a health risk – and the cure is connection

Guest column by Leah Hendrickson

The human race has never been more connected to one another. We can reach family, friends and strangers across the world in mere seconds. Despite this alleged connectedness, loneliness is everywhere.

The U.S. Surgeon General referred to loneliness as an epidemic that is literally killing us, stating that lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. We all know smoking is dangerous, so why do we ignore the danger of loneliness? Ignoring it won’t make it go away.