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HomeHealth & FitnessWhy can you be alone killing you?

Why can you be alone killing you?

An elderly person who suffers from loneliness.An elderly person who suffers from loneliness.
The feeling of loneliness concerns 24 % of French people over the age of 15. © Adobe Stock

Loneliness seems to be transformed into a major public health problem. According to an alarming report of the World Health Organization (WHO), loneliness is responsible for the premature death of more than 871,000 people each year worldwide, a death every 36 seconds.

Experts agree that this phenomenon is largely underestimated and poorly understood, despite its devastating effects on the mental and physical health of individuals.

A phenomenon that affects all generations

Social isolation is not limited to elders. A striking phenomenon is that of the young generations. According to an WHO study, around 17 to 21% of young people aged 13 to 29 frequently feel a feeling of loneliness. The number is even more worrying among adolescents, where almost one in five feels isolated and without real social contact.

A problem that seems to worsen with the rise of social networks and digital technologies, which, paradoxically, instead of creating links, tend to isolate individuals behind their screens.

Thus, loneliness does not know any borders. Countries rich like France, the United States, or the United Kingdom is not spared. But the phenomenon is even more exacerbated in low -income countries, where around 24% of the population declares to live in a situation of social isolation. This figure is almost twice that observed in the most developed nations according to the WHO.

Why does loneliness have such a destructive impact?

The consequences of loneliness are not limited only to emotional aspects. WHO claims that loneliness is now a risk factor comparable to chronic diseases, smoking or physical inactivity. Indeed, several studies show that socially isolated people are at risk of suffering from serious illnesses, in particular:

In France, the situation is no less alarming. According to a study commissioned by the Fondation de France, 530,000 elderly people live in a situation of “social death”: without regular contacts, or almost, with their entourage. This figure represents a considerable number of isolated people in a country where social ties are at the heart of culture. This is also symptomatic of a society where the aging of the population, precariousness, and rampant urbanization contribute to accentuating the most vulnerable isolation.

The lack of proximity, the conditions of precarious housing, or the situations of unemployment and social exclusion are all factors which make individuals more likely to find themselves alone. And paradoxically, even in a connected society, many of us feel an immense emptiness, a lack of real and warm bond.

Faced with this situation that keeps getting worse, it is high time to act. Break the cycle of loneliness begins by strengthening human ties, quite simply.

  • Organize home visits for the elderly
  • create meeting places for young and old,
  • Set up intergenerational projects so that everyone can find a little company and human warmth

But that’s not all. It is also essential to make those around us aware of the dangers of isolation. The key lies in mutual aid, in the creation of support networks for those who need it, and especially in the idea that no one should be alone in the face of loneliness.

NAMELY

Loneliness does not spare young adults. In France, a study of the Foundation of France conducted in 2024 reveals that 12 % of French people are in a situation of relational isolation, that is to say without near social network. This phenomenon is particularly marked in young adults: more than one in three (34 %) aged 25 to 39 years regularly feel alone, a rate twice as high as in 60-69 year olds.

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cassidy.blair
cassidy.blair
Cassidy’s Phoenix desert-life desk mixes cactus-water recipes with investigative dives into groundwater politics.
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