Every week at the mental health clinic I lead, I hear people say things like this:
“I know lots of people, but I don’t feel truly connected to anyone.”
“I wish I felt close to someone—just one person—but I don’t.”
“To be honest, I feel lonely most of the time.”
Among the many crises currently facing our society, here’s one that’s often ignored but shouldn’t be: Millions of people in our country feel chronically lonely, isolated, and disconnected from others. And that lack of connection with others contributes significantly to the mental and physical health problems on display in countless harmful ways….