The Practice That Can Ease Loneliness

Many people have struggled with feelings of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2020, after months of social distancing, 36 percent of U.S. adults reported experiencing “serious loneliness.” Of course, loneliness was a significant public health concern even before COVID hit: A 2018 study found that 22 percent of adults reported they often or always felt lonely.

Fortunately, research shows that there’s a simple way to feel less lonely, even during a pandemic.

The key is to stop resisting loneliness. Loneliness is a miserable feeling, but it’s also an adaptive one. Loneliness is the brain’s way of telling us that our fundamental social needs are not being met. Just as hunger motivates us to find food, loneliness drives us to seek out social connection. In this way, loneliness is quite helpful.

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