One in six people worldwide reports feeling lonely, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). The entity recently published information showing how the feeling of abandonment and disconnection, caused by the lack of social interaction, has a significant impact on global health. There are more than 870,000 premature deaths each year that occur with the contribution of social isolation. This number is compared to that of tuberculosis, one of the deadliest infections in the world, which kills approximately 1.2 million people annually.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained the reasons why loneliness has become a serious problem in current times. According to him, rapid urbanization, demographic changes, digital transformations, and the growth of inequality are changing the way people relate to each other, leaving them feeling disconnected, unseen, and unheard.
