The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns over the global impact of loneliness, revealing that the condition is responsible for at least 871,000 deaths each year.
In a recent report, the WHO Commission disclosed that one in every six individuals worldwide suffers from loneliness—a problem that, alongside social isolation, significantly threatens both physical and mental health.
The report identifies a higher risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and even suicide as some of the consequences of persistent loneliness.
In terms of broader implications, the commission noted that loneliness affects academic performance and economic stability. Teenagers who feel isolated are reportedly 22 percent more likely to perform poorly in school, while adults battling loneliness often struggle to secure or maintain employment.
This has also led to substantial economic costs for healthcare systems and labour markets around the world.
Vivek Murthy, the commission’s co-chair, explained the difference between loneliness and isolation, saying, “a painful, subjective feeling that many of us experience when the relationships that we need do not match the relationships that we have. And social isolation, by contrast, is an objective state of having few relationships or interactions.”
The report estimates that one in three older adults and one in four adolescents globally are socially isolated. Factors contributing to this include illness, low income, limited educational opportunities, solitary living, and excessive reliance on digital communication.
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Murthy also highlighted how human communication has historically involved not just words but facial expressions, gestures, and silence—forms of interaction that are often lost in mobile phone and social media use.
Sweden was cited as a model example of a proactive national response. According to Swedish Social Minister Jakob Forssmed, the country has launched a comprehensive strategy to tackle loneliness at a societal level.
Initiatives include encouraging community bonding in local shops, clubs, and restaurants, as well as offering all school-aged children prepaid cards usable only for group recreational activities.
The Swedish government also intends to ban mobile phones in public schools, a move Forssmed says has been shown to enhance real-life interactions, curb cyberbullying, and improve sleep among students.
He added that children often feel upset when parents are constantly distracted by their devices.
While acknowledging the advantages of digital technology—such as facilitating long-distance communication—the WHO emphasised the need to prioritise face-to-face connections.
Murthy stated, “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.”
