One of his most powerful quotes from the book is, “During my years of caring for patients the most common condition I saw was not heart disease or diabetes it was loneliness.” While there is benefit in that, they can lose their individuality and independence in the process. He describes how collectivist religious groups like the Mormons can make sure that members never have to be lonely. He examines various cultural and religious social structures. However convenient, making use of such services can rob us of the social contact of talking to the familiar faces from our neighbourhood.

We may be pleased that a grocer is prepared to deliver food to our homes thanks to online shopping. People now revert to technology to make contact with friends, but it is remote and misses the benefits of physical contact.

Murthy tells how the onset of technology, particularly the smartphone, has made people lonelier. The impact of weak connections is therefore as detrimental to health as other bad habits such as smoking. Studies have since shown that individuals with strong connections are up to 50% less likely to die early. The lack of one or more of these three can be harmful to our health. We need intimate, social and collective connections to thrive. In this book, he identifies three strands of relationship. He found evidence of the impact that it has on physical health and that it can even lead to premature death. What he found was insightful regarding the levels of isolation and loneliness in society. He was expecting to glean information from the public on what could deliver big health wins. Vivek Murthy undertook a listening tour across the country after his appointment to the Surgeon General position in the United States. He also gives excellent advice about what to do with it. This book, by Vivek Murthy, a noted authority with deep experience, describes the condition of loneliness. Even before the mandated isolation of COVID -19, Western society had developed an increasing near epidemic of loneliness and isolation.

Book by vivek murthy