The Loneliness Epidemic

Despite being more connected than ever, many people report feeling deeply lonely.

儘管人們的聯繫比以往任何時候都更緊密，許多人卻表示感到深深的孤獨。

Health experts now regard chronic loneliness as a serious public health concern.

健康專家現在把長期孤獨視為一個嚴重的公共衛生問題。

It has been linked to heart disease, depression, and a weakened immune system.

它與心臟病、憂鬱症和免疫系統減弱有關。

Some researchers argue that its effects are as harmful as obesity or lack of exercise.

一些研究人員認為，它的危害與肥胖或缺乏運動不相上下。

Being alone, however, is not the same as feeling lonely.

然而，獨處並不等於感到孤獨。

Loneliness arises when our relationships fall short of what we need.

當我們的人際關係達不到我們的需求時，孤獨就會產生。

Older adults and young people appear to be particularly vulnerable.

老年人和年輕人似乎特別容易受到影響。

Community projects that bring different generations together have shown promising results.

讓不同世代的人聚在一起的社區計畫已經展現出令人期待的成果。

Even brief, friendly conversations with strangers can noticeably improve our mood.

即使是與陌生人進行的簡短而友善的交談，也能明顯改善我們的心情。