WHO-Loneliness Causes 871,000 Yearly Deaths in the World

Every year, about 871,000 people around the world die because of loneliness, the World Health Organization (WHO) has found.

According to a WHO commission, one in six people experiences loneliness. When someone feels lonely or is socially isolated,meaning they have very few social contacts,it can harm their health. Lonely people face higher risks of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

For young people, loneliness can hurt their schoolwork. The WHO says lonely teenagers are 22 percent more likely to get lower grades than their classmates. In adults, loneliness makes it harder to find or keep a job. Beyond individuals, loneliness costs health systems billions of dollars and leads to lost productivity at work.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, co-chair of the commission, explains that loneliness is “a painful, private feeling we get when our relationships don’t match what we need.” He contrasts this with social isolation, which is simply having too few social contacts or interactions.

The report estimates that about one in three older adults and one in four teenagers are socially isolated. Some main causes include illness, low education, little money, few chances to meet others, living alone, and overuse of digital devices.

Murthy also reminds us that humans have long relied not just on words, but on facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and even shared silence to connect. When we spend all our time on phones or social media, we miss out on these richer ways of interacting.

As a positive example, Sweden has launched a national plan to fight loneliness. Social Minister Jakob Forssmed says Sweden sees loneliness as a social issue, not just a personal one. The country is working to bring people together in everyday places like shops, restaurants, neighbourhoods, and clubs.

Soon, every child and teenager in Sweden will get a prepaid card they can use only for booking group leisure activities,sports, arts, or other shared events. Sweden also plans to ban mobile phones in public schools.

Early studies show this rule boosts face-to-face interaction, cuts down on cyberbullying, helps students sleep better, and makes it easier for them to put phones aside after class. Forssmed points out that kids often feel upset when their parents are always on their phones.

While digital tools,like video calls,can help us stay in touch, the commission stresses how important it is to create “places and spaces” where people can meet face-to-face without technology getting in the way. In Murthy’s words, “having areas in our lives for real, in-person connection, free from digital distraction, is very important.”