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Many people are suffering, not just from health concerns and economic hardship, but also from loneliness—the prevalence of which has skyrocketed in recent years.
Studies indicate that about half of U.S. adults have reported experiencing loneliness. The impact of this extends beyond a decline in mental health, increasing the risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, and even premature death.
It’s a problem today’s guest has officially labeled an epidemic—and has made his mission to redress.
Meet the 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Vice Admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy.
As the nation’s top doctor, Dr. Vivek Murthy helps to advance the health and well-being of all Americans and has worked to address critical public health issues such as social media’s impact on youth mental health, burnout in the health worker community, and our nation’s epidemic of loneliness and isolation—the subject of today’s exchange.
He’s also the author of Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World and host of the podcast House Calls.
“Our epidemic of loneliness is an underappreciated public health crisis.”
– U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VICE ADMIRAL VIVEK MURTHY
In this conversation, Dr. Murthy explains how we arrived at this juncture of disconnection and why it is so vitally important to understand and resolve.
We also discuss the compound effects of loneliness on our health as individuals and as a society, and what we can all do to engender our lives with more connection, companionship, and community.
The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
It was an honor to host an important conversation with such an esteemed individual.
I was deeply impacted by what he shared and suspect you may feel the same.
Enjoy!
Peace + Plants,
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- Connect with Dr. Vivek Murthy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X
- Podcast: House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy
- Book: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
- U.S. Department of Health And Human Services: Office of the Surgeon General (OSG)
- U.S. Department of Health And Human Services: Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA
- OJJDP: U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health
- The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: Social Media and Youth Mental Health
- The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation
- HHS: New Surgeon General Advisory Raises Alarm about the Devastating Impact of the Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation in the United States
- USA Today: ‘No. 1 crisis in America’: Mayors warn Congress of a crisis ‘in every neighborhood’
- The New York Times: A Half-Century of Surgeon General Warnings
- The New York Times: Surgeon General: We Have Become a Lonely Nation. It’s Time to Fix That.
- The New York Times: How to Feel Less Lonely, According to the Surgeon General
- The New York Times: Does Social Media Harm Young People’s Mental Health?
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