In a new report, the WHO revealed that loneliness contributes to the death of at least 871,000 people annually across the globe.
According to the Commission on Social Connection, an initiative by the WHO, one in six individuals worldwide is currently grappling with loneliness. This condition, often intertwined with social isolation, is not merely emotional distress but a public health crisis with serious physical consequences.
The report states that loneliness significantly raises the risk of major health complications, including strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and suicide. It also negatively impacts academic and professional performance — with lonely teenagers reportedly 22 per cent more likely to score lower grades, and adults experiencing more difficulty in securing or maintaining employment.
Dr Vivek Murthy, the commission’s co-chair and former US Surgeon General, defines loneliness as “a painful, subjective feeling that many of us experience when the relationships that we need do not match the relationships that we have.” In contrast, social isolation is described as the objective absence or scarcity of meaningful relationships or social interactions.
The report identifies vulnerable groups, highlighting that one in three older people and one in four adolescents globally are socially isolated. Several factors contribute to this growing concern, including illness, inadequate education, low income, living alone, and the overuse of digital technologies.
While digital tools like video calls have enabled people to maintain long-distance relationships, the commission warns that an overreliance on mobile phonesand social media is eroding the richness of human connection. “We have communicated for millennia not only through words but also through facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and even silence,” Murthy said.
“These subtle cues are often lost in digital conversations.”
Sweden has emerged as a model for proactive intervention. Recognising loneliness as both a personal and societal issue, the country has introduced a national strategy to combat social disconnection. Swedish Social Minister Jakob Forssmed announced several measures, including a proposal to ban mobile phones in public schools — a move supported by studies showing improved social interaction, reduced cyber bullying, and better sleep among students.
In a bold step to encourage social bonding, Sweden plans to issue prepaid leisure cards to children and teenagers. These cards can only be used for group recreational activities, aiming to draw young people into communal spaces and strengthen interpersonal engagement.
Forssmed also drew attention to how parental mobile phone use affects family dynamics. “Children are often frustrated
when their parents are constantly distracted by their phones,” he said.
The WHO commission concluded by stressing the importance of creating environments where human interaction can flourish free from digital interruptions. “Having places and spaces in our life where we can interact face-to-face with other people without the distraction of technology is very important,” Murthy reiterated.
With loneliness now recognised as a critical health threat on par with smoking or obesity, experts are calling on governments, health systems, schools, and communities to take urgent and coordinated action to build a more connected world — one where no one is left to suffer in silence.
