The Take: Is loneliness the next global health threat?

More people globally say they’re struggling to find deep connections. It’s creating a health and social crisis.

A man uses his computer next to a woman writing a message on her mobile phone at a cafe in Sao Paulo, Brazil October 17, 2017
A man uses his computer next to a woman writing a message on her mobile phone at a cafe in Sao Paulo, Brazil October 17, 2017 [Nacho Doce/Reuters]

Is there a cure for the loneliness epidemic? Loneliness is as harmful to a person’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The World Health Organization has even declared it a “global public health concern”, echoing a warning by the top US health authority. But despite the alarm, experts say there are ways to cultivate a new culture of connection.

In this episode: 

  • Niobe Way (@niobe_way), New York University professor of developmental psychology

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Miranda Lin and host Natasha Del Toro, in for Malika Bilal. Zaina Badr and Sarí el-Khalili fact-checked this episode.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer.

Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

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Source: Al Jazeera