Woman at a laptop

Credit: Getty Images

The proliferation of social media has fostered global connectivity and has enabled individuals to join vast networks of virtual “friends.” Paradoxically, the rise of social media also parallels an increase in people’s perception of isolation. Chronic loneliness carries significant health implications. In an opinion piece for Scientific American, Lasker president Claire Pomeroy discusses both practical and policy approaches to address the health effects of loneliness.