January 7, 2025

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HEALTH & HAPPINESS, FRIENDING MIGHT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PRACTICE.

Studies show that an awful lot of people are struggling with loneliness these days. According to Our Epidemic of Loneliness, a 2023 report from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office, about half of all US adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness on a regular basis. In the last few decades, living in solitude has become a devastating habit for too many people – one that’s been exacerbated and amplified by Covid. 

That’s a problem—because loneliness kills. The negative impacts that poor social connection can have on your physical health include:   

• 29% increased risk of heart disease
• 32% increased risk of stroke
• 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults  

And those are just the physical consequences and don’t even begin to address the impacts on your mental and spiritual wellbeing—such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and disconnectedness—that can result when you don’t have a healthy number of friends in your life.   

Make “friending” one of your top priorities for 2025. Your future health and happiness depend on it. Are you at risk? Take the UCLA Loneliness Scale Test below to find out. 

Article by Jeff Hamaoui, MEA co-founder and Chief Education Officer.

UCLA LONELINESS SCALE TEST

(format taken from the Fetzer Institute)

INSTRUCTIONS: Indicate how often each of the statements below is descriptive of you.

O = “I often feel this way”
S = “I sometimes feel this way”
R = “I rarely feel this way”
N = “I never feel this way”

1. I am unhappy doing so many things alone. O S R N
2. I have nobody to talk to. O S R N
3. I cannot tolerate being so alone. O S R N
4. I lack companionship. O S R N
5. I feel as if nobody really understands me. O S R N
6. I find myself waiting for people to call or write. O S R N
7. There is no one I can turn to. O S R N
8. I am no longer close to anyone. O S R N
9. My interests and ideas are not shared by those around me. O S R N
10. I feel left out. O S R N
11. I feel completely alone. O S R N
12. I am unable to reach out and communicate with those around me. O S R N
13. My social relationships are superficial. O S R N
14. I feel starved for company. O S R N
15. No one really knows me well. O S R N
16. I feel isolated from others. O S R N
17. I am unhappy being so withdrawn. O S R N
18. It is difficult for me to make friends. O S R N
19. I feel shut out and excluded by others. O S R N
20. People are around me but not with me. O S R N

Scoring:

O = 4
S = 3
R = 2
N = 1

Scores of 20 to 40 are considered low to moderate in terms of loneliness.
Scores of 40 to 60 are considered moderate to high in terms of loneliness.
Scores above 60 are considered high in terms of loneliness.

*Disclaimer: The UCLA Loneliness Scale is not a diagnostic tool and should be used with caution in clinical settings. It is only a self-report measure and should be used in conjunction with other measures, such as clinical interviews and observations, to make a diagnosis.

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