One in three Americans feel lonely every week, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

Approximately 2,200 U.S. adults participated in the January 2024 Healthy Minds Monthly Poll.

Almost one-third, 30%, said they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week during the last year, and 10% say they feel lonely every day.

The poll also found that single adults are nearly twice as likely as married adults to experience loneliness each week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines loneliness as “feeling like you do not have meaningful or close relationships or a sense of belonging.”

Actor Michael B. Jordan opened up about his feelings of loneliness during a March 11, 2024, appearance on the "On Purpose with Jay Shetty" podcast.

He said “there’s a loneliness that I have. You know the responsibility that you have is isolating, and the weight is isolating. The worse part of that is feeling like nobody really understands and falling into the space of being alone, feeling alone.”

The consequences of feeling alone are why U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared loneliness a public health crisis. Dr. Murty shared with Spectrum News the ways loneliness can affect one’s health.

“When people struggle with social disconnection, it increases their risk of depression, anxiety and suicide. It also increases your risk of physical illness like heart disease, dementia and premature death,” Murthy said.

The signs and symptoms of loneliness are different for every person, but some common indicators include:

  • Pulling away from family and friends, declining phone calls and messages
  • Surface level conversation or deflecting away from serious topics
  • Low energy, lack of motivation and exhaustion

Commonly used measures of loneliness include the:

  • UCLA Loneliness Scale
  • Lubben Social Network Scale
  • Berkman Social Network Index

And four ways to fight loneliness include:

  • Reaching out to a friend, family member, neighbor or colleague and start a conversation.
  • Limiting your screen time to aim for in-person connection.
  • Volunteering in your community. Doing something for others reduces stress, improves our emotional well-being and even benefits our physical health.
  • Speaking with a health care professional about your feelings of loneliness.