Loneliness Is a Health Problem: What a 2025 WHO Report Says

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1. 01Loneliness Is a Health Problem

   Good evening, everyone. When I moved to a new country for work, I went weeks without a real conversation. I thought loneliness was just a feeling. Then I read a report from the World Health Organization, and I realized it's also a health issue.

   大家晚上好。我因为工作搬到一个新的国家时，好几个星期都没和人真正聊过天。我以为孤独只是一种感觉。后来，我读了世界卫生组织的一份报告，才意识到它也是一个健康问题。

2. 02The Report

   In June 2025, the WHO Commission on Social Connection published a global report called "From loneliness to social connection." It brought together research from around the world.

   2025年6月，世卫组织社会联系委员会发布了一份全球报告，题为《从孤独到社会联系》。报告汇集了世界各地的研究。

   Source: World Health Organization, Commission on Social Connection, "From loneliness to social connection" (June 2025)

3. 03How Common Is It?

   The first finding is how common loneliness is. According to the report, about one in six people around the world is affected by loneliness.

   第一个发现是孤独有多普遍。根据报告，全世界大约每六个人中就有一个人受到孤独的影响。

   Source: World Health Organization, news release "Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death" (June 30, 2025)

4. 04The Health Impact

   The second finding is more serious. The WHO estimates that loneliness is linked to about one hundred deaths every hour, which is more than eight hundred seventy-one thousand deaths each year.

   第二个发现更加严重。世卫组织估计，每小时约有一百人的死亡与孤独有关，也就是每年超过八十七万一千人。

   Source: World Health Organization, news release "Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death" (June 30, 2025)

5. 05Body and Mind

   Why such a big impact? The report connects social isolation and loneliness with physical problems, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems, like depression and anxiety.

   为什么影响这么大？报告把社会隔离和孤独与身体问题联系在一起，比如心脏病和2型糖尿病，还有心理健康问题，比如抑郁和焦虑。

   Source: World Health Organization, news release "Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death" (June 30, 2025)

6. 06Lonely Is Not the Same as Alone

   It's important to be careful with words here. Being alone is not the same as being lonely. Some people enjoy time alone, while others feel lonely even with many people around them. Loneliness is about the connections we want but don't have.

   在这里，用词一定要谨慎。独处并不等于孤独。有些人喜欢一个人待着，而有些人即使身边有很多人，也会感到孤独。孤独指的是我们渴望却没有拥有的联系。

7. 07Small Steps That Helped Me

   What helped me were small, regular steps. I sent one message a day to a friend or family member, joined a weekly language class, and started saying yes to invitations, even when I felt shy.

   对我有帮助的，是一些小而持续的行动。我每天给一位朋友或家人发一条消息，参加了每周一次的语言课，还开始接受别人的邀请，即使我会感到害羞。

8. 08Conclusion

   To conclude, loneliness is common, and it affects our health, but connection can be rebuilt one small step at a time. Tonight, think of one person you haven't talked to in a while, and send them a message. Thank you.

   最后，孤独很普遍，也会影响我们的健康，但人与人之间的联系可以一步一步重新建立起来。今晚，想一想有哪个人你已经很久没联系了，给他发一条消息吧。谢谢大家。