Almudena Trucharte Martínez
Associate Professor at Camilo José Cela University, researcher at the HM Hospitales Health Research Institute (Madrid) and collaborating researcher in the Department of Personality, Evaluation and Clinical Psychology at the Complutense University of Madrid
This WHO report reminds us of something essential: we are social beings by nature. It is not just about how many people surround us, but the quality of those relationships. A meaningful conversation, a kind word or the simple gesture of greeting a neighbour can have a huge impact on our health and social cohesion. Social disconnection is not just a painful individual experience, it is a public health issue that affects well-being, academic performance, employment and life expectancy. And it affects young people most of all: one in four adolescents in the world say they feel lonely.
The good news is that there are solutions. We know what works: campaigns that make the problem visible, public policies that prioritise social connection, community spaces that facilitate encounters and psychological support for those who need it. A commitment to human connection is an urgent necessity and an investment in physical and mental health. We are at a key moment: if we want stronger societies with a future, we must place social connection at the heart of our collective decisions, from the design of cities to digital strategies.