What Health Problems Can Chronic Loneliness Lead To?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuzhan Zahmacıoğlu, Head of the Department of Mental Health and Diseases at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, stated that loneliness creates a constant perception of threat in the brain, saying, "Cortisol rises, the immune system is suppressed, and the body remains in a prolonged state of stress."

Loneliness Is Not Just an Emotional Burden

According to a statement from Yeditepe University, the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2025 report titled "From Loneliness to Social Connection: A Roadmap for Healthier Societies" reveals that loneliness is a widespread problem on a global scale. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oğuzhan Zahmacıoğlu, Head of the Department of Mental Health and Diseases at Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, whose views were included in the statement, noted that the clinical effects of loneliness can no longer be ignored. Stating that loneliness is not merely a psychological condition, Zahmacıoğlu said, "It significantly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and premature death. Loneliness creates a constant perception of threat in the brain, cortisol rises, the immune system is suppressed, and the body remains in a prolonged state of stress."

Zahmacıoğlu emphasized that data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) shows that the number of single-person households has exceeded 5.5 million, and used the following statements: "The increase in the number of people living alone over the last 10 years is over 60%. The highest rates are seen in major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. This increase is an inevitable consequence of social transformation. Individualization weakens social bonds. Loneliness is no longer an exception; it is becoming a part of everyday life."
Drawing attention to the structural dimension of loneliness, Zahmacıoğlu explained that loneliness is not a character flaw but a structural problem produced by modern life.

Digital Tools Cannot Replace Real Connections

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Berke Kırıkkanat, Head of the Department of Psychology at Yeditepe University, defined the increasing loneliness on a global scale as the "Modern Loneliness Paradox." Pointing out that factors such as intensive use of social media and decreased face-to-face contact cause this feeling to deepen even more among young people, Kırıkkanat made the following assessments: "Young people are constantly online, constantly connected, but these connections lack depth. Research shows that loneliness rates in the 18–25 age group reach up to 60% in some countries. This is not the loneliness of 'having no one,' but rather the feeling of being misunderstood and emotional insecurity experienced within crowds."
Kırıkkanat also drew attention to the rapid spread of AI-supported chat applications and digital tools in combating loneliness over the last two years.
Explaining that artificial intelligence can give a person the feeling of being "heard," but that this does not replace real relationships, Kırıkkanat said, "With excessive use, social skills can become dulled, and the person may become even more detached from real life. Social media, instead of connecting people, often fuels feelings of comparison, inadequacy, and exclusion. As a society, we do not need more connections; we need more meaningful connections."