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Combatting the Loneliness Epidemic Through Social Connectedness
Kelly Pum1, Ryan Salama2, Rachel Lin3
1College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA (KP).
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
|July 14, 2025
Summary
Adolescents struggle with loneliness due to impaired social media connections. Lifestyle medicine clinicians can boost youth connectedness by fostering social-emotional skills for better mental health.
Area of Science:
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Adolescent Mental Health
- Social Connectedness
Background:
- Loneliness significantly impacts mental health across all life stages.
- Adolescents face unique challenges in forming meaningful social connections in the digital age.
- Social media's role in relationships is complex, potentially improving structure but impairing function and quality, thus affecting overall connectedness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the growing problem of adolescent loneliness.
- To explore the role of lifestyle medicine in addressing this epidemic.
- To emphasize the importance of social-emotional skill development for enhancing youth connectedness.
Main Methods:
- This study is a conceptual review and clinical recommendation piece.
- It synthesizes current understanding of loneliness, social media's impact, and lifestyle medicine principles.
- It proposes actionable strategies for clinicians.
Main Results:
- Adolescent loneliness is a significant public health concern.
- Impaired social media interactions contribute to reduced social connectedness.
- Lifestyle medicine offers a framework to improve peer, school, and family connections.
Conclusions:
- Clinicians can combat adolescent loneliness by promoting social-emotional skill development.
- Enhancing connectedness is crucial for adolescent mental well-being.
- These strategies are applicable across all age groups and warrant clinical focus.
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