Nearly 3 out of 5 US adults are alone and it could be one of the biggest hidden problems the economy is facing

Chronic loneliness rewires our brains, produces harmful inflammation, and fuels nearly every dangerous disease in the book. Getty Images

Millions of Americans suffer from a costly and deadly health problem for which we have no vaccine, immunity, or quick cure. Its loneliness and silently permeates every level of our society. Loneliness costs families, healthcare systems and businesses hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

To start dealing with loneliness, it is essential to understand it. Loneliness does not necessarily mean that one is physically separated from others. It is an all-consuming belief that one is socially isolated and cannot form meaningful connections with others.

It\’s an incredibly common problem. Nearly three out of five U.S. adults are considered lonely, according to Morning Consult data. Underrepresented racial groups and low-income people are more likely to face loneliness.

While loneliness lurks beneath the surface, it wreaks havoc on your health. Chronic loneliness rewires our brains and produces harmful inflammation. It fuels nearly every dangerous disease in the book, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, depression, Alzheimer\’s, cancer, and dementia. In fact, research has found that the health risks of prolonged loneliness are similar to those of smoking 15 cigarettes every day.

These health issues require patients to make frequent trips to the doctor or worse, result in serious medical episodes. These expenses add up quickly and cost patients and our healthcare system dearly.

I know all too well. My stepdaughter Rylie fatally lost her mental health battle in 2021 after living with chronic loneliness and bipolar for years. My wife and I were devastated. I was also deeply frustrated with the healthcare system for treating only her physical symptoms and missing the myriad of mental health warning signs.

You see, Rylie was no stranger to the ER. He has often experienced episodes that required emergency care. Before her worst episodes, she expressed an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

In total, she went to the hospital dozens of times over the span of two years, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Doctors have always provided temporary solutions to his immediate problems. But the underlying loneliness that was ultimately driving so many of his most serious episodes remained largely unresolved.

Many families cannot afford such monstrous medical expenses and would struggle to pay for other basic necessities such as food and shelter. I also shudder to think of children who have lost their parents to loneliness. Not only have they lost a crucial source of love and support, but also a vital financial custodian. These children then grow up low on resources and face a greater risk of experiencing loneliness. It\’s a vicious cycle of poverty and mental health problems.

And then there\’s the cost to our healthcare system. People experiencing loneliness use more hospital care, go to the doctor more often and are more likely to be hospitalized than those who do not feel alone, even though such excess care could be avoided. An analysis of four Dallas emergency rooms found that 80 people visited more than 5,000 times in just one year, largely because they were alone. Those extra visits mean longer wait times and higher healthcare costs for all patients.

Loneliness also has a major impact on workers and employers in non-healthcare businesses. People who experience loneliness simply can\’t perform at their highest level. Lonely employees also face health problems more frequently, resulting in more lost days of work. And they are more likely to look for work elsewhere.

All told, loneliness could cost the US economy as much as $406 billion a year.

We cannot afford to keep loneliness hidden in the background. The first step is screening. Generally, providers only evaluate physical symptoms and perhaps delve into diet and exercise. But they also need to consider the mental health issues that may be at play, especially for people who end up in the emergency room frequently.

Basically, there should be a way for doctors to specifically diagnose people with loneliness and prescribe treatment, just like any other mental health condition.

Removing the stigma of loneliness is just as critical. This happened slowly with anxiety and depression, but not with loneliness. People who experience this condition already feel misunderstood and distrustful of others. Shaming or criticizing them for feeling that way makes the problem worse and forces them to keep it hidden.

Loneliness is perhaps the biggest under-the-radar economic problem our country is facing. It\’s expensive and deadly. The time has passed to deal with it.

Cindy Jordan is the co-founder and CEO of Pyx Health, which supports people coping with loneliness.

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