While students across the country lament their obligation to attend school every day, there is often one bright spot in their monotonous days: their friends. 

But as adults leave schooling and enter the workforce, they have fewer opportunities to make friends. While both high school and college education systems include built in community, many people find careers to be much more stifling in terms of personal connections. 

The concept of a ‘work friend’ implies the existence of a superficial relationship between coworkers; allowing formalities and pleasantries to be exchanged without any deeper connection or real friendship. While it is this kind of interaction that consumes many adults’ days, evenings offer even fewer opportunities to build relationships as they are knee deep in other responsibilities and obligations. 

This was the experience of PV Senior Kiera Bowman’s parents, who found the responsibility of parenthood was part of what stifled their social activity. “As an adult with four children and a wife who works full-time while I carry a part-time job, I find little time for activities where I might meet new friends,” stated Jason Bowman. Erin Bowman adds, “after having children, it became more difficult to develop and maintain friendships because of the dilution of time for both me and my friends. Being pulled in many directions makes it more difficult.”

This issue is not limited to just adults however. Senior Heidi Cannon has moved schools several times throughout high school, and has found that distance can also be a challenge when attempting to keep up with close friends. 

This lack of community often results in loneliness, and, while it has been normalized in our society, the issue has become so widespread and profound that many medical professionals have started to spread awareness about the issue.“Moving schools so much definitely has had a heavy impact in how I make new relationships and connections, she stated. “It was really hard to figure out how to make new friends, and to stay in consistent contact with the people I really connected with.”

In May of 2023,  U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory alerting medical professionals to the high levels of loneliness and isolation that adults experience today, an issue that he believes has become a public health crisis that has caused significant damage to individual and societal health. “Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight – one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more productive lives,” the report said. 

Finding that this widespread lack of connection impacted people from all walks of life, Murthy continued his research to find that half of all adults experience loneliness. 

This statistic was only exacerbated during the COVID pandemic when safety regulations required even more isolation than before. 

Even years into pandemic recovery; COVID-19’s long-term effects have largely resulted in an increase of working remotely, increasing the isolation of working adults even more.

The psychological impacts of loneliness are widespread and destructive, ranging from depression and insomnia to personality disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.

Loneliness doesn’t just impact mental health– recent studies have shown that it can affect physical health as well. Lonely individuals experience an estimated 32% increase in stroke risk, a 29% increase risk of heart disease and an over 60% increase risk of premature death. 

Despite these staggering statistics, little has been done to raise awareness or combat the issue, and very little has been done to combat it. 

These concerns impact newly graduated high school students as well, as they are forced to choose between mental stability, with the college experience promising lasting friendships, and financial security, as college tuition prices continue to spike. 

Far from insurmountable, loneliness can be abated by building friendships. Many communities offer opportunities to get involved in various classes or activities, as well as volunteering options and more. While not as convenient as school, options are available for branching out and forging relationships, an endeavor that might result in increased health and happiness.