Chronic loneliness and social isolation have become a serious global challenge in recent years. Studies show that a lack of social connections harms the body as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, while increasing the risk of premature death by nearly 30%.
A new study from the University of Michigan, published in the journal Social Problems, warns that viewing loneliness solely through a medical lens is a mistake, as this shifts the entire responsibility from society onto the healthcare system.
The author of the paper, Sophia Hiltner, spent years studying existing scientific articles on this topic. According to her, since loneliness became linked to health risks and medical costs, society has automatically assumed that solving this problem is the job of doctors. It has even reached the point where pharmaceutical companies have begun clinical trials for “anti-loneliness pills.”
The researcher believes that this approach is wrong. While a doctor can screen a patient for depression or refer them to a psychotherapist, the healthcare system cannot physically restore broken social connections, reduce working hours, or build new social ties.
According to Hiltner, loneliness is not a medical issue but a deep social problem. Instead of treating people in clinics, the state and society must focus on policies that support families and bring people closer together. Healthcare should only be a supporting link in this process, as no one can fill a human void with pills and prescriptions.
