Loneliness is at Epidemic Levels in America

Cigna is taking a comprehensive approach toward addressing loneliness and improving mental wellness in America.

Our Loneliness and the Workplace: 2020 U.S. report on the state of loneliness in America includes findings that highlight the impact of loneliness in the modern workplace.

Read the press release

Media Coverage

Read the Business Insider article featuring David Cordani and Michael Phelps discussing mental health

Featured Loneliness Resources

61% of those surveyed are lonely statistic

Loneliness Infographic [PDF]

View our 2020 loneliness infographic.

24% of Americans say their mental health is fair or poor statistic

Loneliness in the U.S. [PDF]

Our survey revealed the state of loneliness in the U.S.

Young woman looking up with city buildings in the background

Loneliness Research Report

This in-depth report examines the factors that are driving loneliness.

Did you know?

Nearly one-quarter of Americans say their mental health is fair or poor.1

Americans reporting good mental health is down 5 percentage points from 2018.1

The CDC confirms that 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.2

Woman sitting on armchair in loft and looking through window

Fueling the mental health crisis is the loneliness epidemic.

Some of the causes are:

  • A lack of social support and infrequent meaningful social interactions
  • Negative feelings about one’s personal relationships
  • Poor physical and mental health
  • A lack of “balance” in one’s daily activities – doing too much or too little of any given thing (e.g., sleep, work)

Loneliness Resources for Individuals and Families

Chances are, everyone has felt lonely at some point in their lives. However, you might not know if you or a loved-one is suffering from chronic loneliness, as the symptoms and signs can differ for each person.

If you consistently feel some or all of the following, you may be dealing with chronic loneliness:

  • Inability to connect with others on a deeper, more intimate level
  • Many acquaintances but no “best” or “close” friend
  • Feelings that no one “gets” you
  • Overwhelming feelings of isolation even if you’re at a party surrounded by dozens of people
  • Negative feelings of self-doubt and self-worth
  • Feeling exhausted when trying to engage in social activities
Grandfather and granddaughter painting vibrant mural on a wall on a sunny day

Loneliness in the Workplace

  • Lonely workers say they are less engaged, less productive, and report lower retention rates1
  • They are twice as likely to miss a day of work due to illness and five times more likely to miss work due to stress1
  • 12 percent of lonely workers say they believe their work is lower quality than it should be1
  • Lonely workers say they think about quitting their job more than twice as often as non-lonely workers1
  • Remote workers are more likely than non-remote workers to always or sometimes feel alone1

Read about loneliness and its impact on the American workplace [PDF]

Business team smiling during meeting
Senior man and his daughter talking with his doctor

Loneliness Resources for Health Care Providers

Our behavioral health resources and tools can help Health Care Providers better support patients in the body and mind connection.

View resources and tools

1 These are the findings from an Ipsos poll conducted July 16 – August 2, 2019, on behalf of Cigna. For the survey, a sample of 10,000 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii were interviewed online, in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of ±1.1 percentage points for all respondents surveyed.

2 Learn about Mental Health: Mental Health Basics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Published January 2018