The pandemic has changed interpersonal dynamics in big ways. Many of us remained isolated for a long time and even though we are more than happy to work from home or in some hybrid version of office and home, loneliness has crept into our state of being.

In fact, the mental health challenges of loneliness were already in motion prior to the pandemic. Sixty-one percent of adults were experiencing loneliness in 2019, according to the Cigna Loneliness Index. Armed with new data over the past few years, the Index now shows that adults with mental health issues are more than twice as likely to experience loneliness as those with strong mental health.

Also, people with lower incomes are lonelier than those with higher incomes. Sixty-three percent of adults earning less than $50,000 are classified as lonely and 72% of people who receive health benefits through Medicaid are classified as lonely.