Loneliness is now an epidemic, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

Widespread loneliness in the U.S. is now as risky as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, per the Surgeon General on Tuesday. He went on to say, “We now know that loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience. It’s like hunger or thirst. It’s a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing…Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that’s not right. That’s why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing.”

Loneliness worsened when COVID-19 spread, as schools and workplaces to shut their doors and sent millions of Americans to isolate at home away from the people they love.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Q101 is here with you for whatever you need. You can get more information on your mental health at the National Association of Mental Illness.