Olivia Chen
Social psychologist at Harvard University, studying the causes and consequences of loneliness and the design of effective interventions.
March 19, 2026·8 min read
The Age of Loneliness
Despite living in an era of unprecedented connectivity, loneliness has reached epidemic proportions. The US Surgeon General has declared it a public health crisis. Research shows that chronic loneliness is as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Understanding why we are so lonely — and what to do about it — is one of the most urgent challenges of our time.
TOPICS
lonelinessmental healthsocial connectionpublic healthsociety
