In Silicon Valley, loneliness becomes a health emergency. Loneliness is a 'preventable' cause of premature death like smoking.
The Institute of Aging and other studies have linked loneliness to increased risks of diabetes, Alzheimer's, alcoholism, heart disease and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis. On average around the world, 24% of people surveyed said they felt socially isolated. In the USA, at a national level, 17% of Americans suffer from loneliness.