An invisible epidemic
Eurofound and the JRC report that roughly 1 in 8 Europeans feels lonely most or all of the time, with sharp rises among under-25s and over-75s. Loneliness is now linked to outcomes comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of all-cause mortality risk.
Responses include the EU Loneliness Initiative (2023), national strategies (UK Minister for Loneliness, IT Pact on Loneliness, etc.), and a wave of community-level work: chat-benches, weekly community meals, befriending services. The single most effective community intervention: regular, low-stakes, predictable group activities. Show up, week after week.
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