In the early months of 2020, a psychologist and lecturer approached colleagues with a concept for a new study on loneliness. The Covid-19 pandemic had heightened feelings of isolation, and previous studies had shown increasing rates of loneliness among Americans. The psychologist created a detailed survey to understand the subjective experience of loneliness and its potential consequences. The results revealed that a significant percentage of respondents reported chronic or sporadic loneliness, with many feeling that they reached out to others more than others reached out to them. A substantial portion also felt that no one outside their family cared about them.
