Dr. Aditi Nerurkar

The fascinating thing about loneliness, and this is why I was saying I love talking about it, is because when you think about loneliness, most people, you'll say it's a mental health thing, right? We know that it increases your risk of anxiety or depression, insomnia. But loneliness doesn't just have mental health manifestations. It also has physical health manifestations.

In one study, the risk of death of loneliness was equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In one study, the risk of death of loneliness was equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

In one study, the risk of death of loneliness was equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Yes, it increases your risk of heart disease by 30% and your risk of stroke by 30%. it can shorten your lifespan, particularly if you feel a sense of loneliness in older age. So loneliness is not something that's just about mental health. It has physical health ramifications.

Yes, it increases your risk of heart disease by 30% and your risk of stroke by 30%. it can shorten your lifespan, particularly if you feel a sense of loneliness in older age. So loneliness is not something that's just about mental health. It has physical health ramifications.

Yes, it increases your risk of heart disease by 30% and your risk of stroke by 30%. it can shorten your lifespan, particularly if you feel a sense of loneliness in older age. So loneliness is not something that's just about mental health. It has physical health ramifications.

It's this nod. It's a feeling that like nausea.

It's this nod. It's a feeling that like nausea.

It's this nod. It's a feeling that like nausea.

The research points to a really interesting discovery about loneliness and finding your way out of loneliness. So whether you're a parent who has, you know, I'm a parent and I very much understand having low bandwidth, not enough time, energy, and then you're, it's difficult to form relationships when you don't have much to give, right? Yep. Very much something that many parents can relate to.

The research points to a really interesting discovery about loneliness and finding your way out of loneliness. So whether you're a parent who has, you know, I'm a parent and I very much understand having low bandwidth, not enough time, energy, and then you're, it's difficult to form relationships when you don't have much to give, right? Yep. Very much something that many parents can relate to.

The research points to a really interesting discovery about loneliness and finding your way out of loneliness. So whether you're a parent who has, you know, I'm a parent and I very much understand having low bandwidth, not enough time, energy, and then you're, it's difficult to form relationships when you don't have much to give, right? Yep. Very much something that many parents can relate to.

Or if you're a Gen Z and you're studying, I mean, no one has enough time. And so what can you do? You can lean into the science of casual conversation. In one study, one of my favorite studies, a group of people were given two clickers. One clicker. It was a study that lasted six days. One clicker was for every interaction you had with a close contact. In the study, they called this strong ties.

Or if you're a Gen Z and you're studying, I mean, no one has enough time. And so what can you do? You can lean into the science of casual conversation. In one study, one of my favorite studies, a group of people were given two clickers. One clicker. It was a study that lasted six days. One clicker was for every interaction you had with a close contact. In the study, they called this strong ties.

Or if you're a Gen Z and you're studying, I mean, no one has enough time. And so what can you do? You can lean into the science of casual conversation. In one study, one of my favorite studies, a group of people were given two clickers. One clicker. It was a study that lasted six days. One clicker was for every interaction you had with a close contact. In the study, they called this strong ties.

So family member, dear friend, someone you're really connected to. When you think about loneliness, when you say, what is the antidote to loneliness? It's community. So you think, oh, I'm going to just lean into community or rather that's the advice that you're given. Spend more time with friends and family.

So family member, dear friend, someone you're really connected to. When you think about loneliness, when you say, what is the antidote to loneliness? It's community. So you think, oh, I'm going to just lean into community or rather that's the advice that you're given. Spend more time with friends and family.

So family member, dear friend, someone you're really connected to. When you think about loneliness, when you say, what is the antidote to loneliness? It's community. So you think, oh, I'm going to just lean into community or rather that's the advice that you're given. Spend more time with friends and family.

But your story, and I've had very similar experiences, sometimes you just don't have that bandwidth to give. And so this study, one clicker was for strong ties. The other clicker was for something called weak ties, casual conversations for parents, for example, at the playground.