There has been a lot of talk over the past few years about public health emergencies–and rightfully so. But amid the discussions on how to respond to pandemics and poverty, another silent calamity has taken hold: loneliness.
Traditional thinking employs the ideas of compassion, empathy, and the offer of companionship to combat loneliness. These are admirable ideals, but they don’t fully address the gravity of the issue. Myriad health afflictions are steeped in loneliness. It is a pre-existing condition with dangerous consequences.
