
Only the Lonely
07/22/21 • 30 min
An alarming number of Americans are lonely. Recent estimates range from 22 percent to as high as 61 percent, and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic made "social distancing" a household term. According to Louise Hawkley, PhD, an expert on loneliness and social isolation, the loneliness "epidemic" has serious consequences for our health as individuals and as a society. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Hawkley explains what happens when our hardwired social "hunger" isn't satisfied, and how loneliness can become a vicious cycle. Plus, she weighs in on the role of social media and offers advice on breaking pandemic-related social isolation.
Dr. Hawkley is a Senior Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago.
For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtr
Road to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.
Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2Kt
Spotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVY
Google Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5Ag
Stitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQ
Pocket Casts
Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.
Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.
Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.
An alarming number of Americans are lonely. Recent estimates range from 22 percent to as high as 61 percent, and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic made "social distancing" a household term. According to Louise Hawkley, PhD, an expert on loneliness and social isolation, the loneliness "epidemic" has serious consequences for our health as individuals and as a society. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Hawkley explains what happens when our hardwired social "hunger" isn't satisfied, and how loneliness can become a vicious cycle. Plus, she weighs in on the role of social media and offers advice on breaking pandemic-related social isolation.
Dr. Hawkley is a Senior Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago.
For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtr
Road to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.
Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2Kt
Spotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVY
Google Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5Ag
Stitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQ
Pocket Casts
Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.
Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.
Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.
Previous Episode

Ketamine: From Club to Clinic
For the estimated 2.8 million Americans suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD), the arrival of esketamine nasal spray in 2019 couldn’t come soon enough. The FDA’s decision to approve the drug, the first ketamine-based antidepressant, was the latest chapter in ketamine’s journey from anesthetic to club drug to antidepressant. It was also the result of two decades of research, including by Dennis S. Charney*, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and James Murrough, MD, PhD, Director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Murrough explains about how ketamine differs from existing antidepressants and shares actionable insights into the neurobiology of depression.
Dr. James Murrough, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Links:
- Five Things to Know About Esketamine (with Dr. Murrough)
- Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment (DAC)
- Follow the Depression and Anxiety Center on Twitter
- Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine
- Follow Mount Sinai Psychiatry on Twitter
For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit www.mountsinai.org/rtr
*Dr. Charney is a named co-inventor on several issued and pending patents filed by Mount Sinai related to ketamine and pharmacologic therapy for treatment-resistant depression, suicidal ideation, and other disorders. Patents have been licensed by Mount Sinai to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (manufacturer of Spravato) and the medical school, and Dr. Charney as a faculty co-inventor, has received and will receive future payments from Janssen. Dr. Murrough has no financial interests related to ketamine.
Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.
Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.
Next Episode

Polymath of the Soul
Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, is impossible to pigeonhole. She's a psychologist, professor, minister, poet, dancer, podcaster, and more. In every role, she brings a message of relief and empowerment to marginalized people. A trauma survivor and specialist, "Dr. Thema," as she's known, helped pioneer the study of racial trauma. In this conversation, she shares pearls of wisdom from her deep knowledge of science, faith, and art.
Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab at Pepperdine University.
Links:
- Dr. Thema's official bio
- Dr. Thema’s website
- Follow Dr. Thema on Instagram
- Mount Sinai Task Force to Address Racism
For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtr
Road to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.
Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2Kt
Spotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVY
Google Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5Ag
Stitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQ
Pocket Casts https://pca.st/VW6A
YouTube
Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.
Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.
Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.
Road to Resilience - Only the Lonely
Transcript
From the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, this is Road to Resilience, a podcast about facing adversity. I'm Jon Earle. My guest today is Dr. Louise Hawkley. She's a senior research scientist at NORC , a research institution at the University of Chicago. Dr. Hawkley studies the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health and well- being, especially for older adults. I wanted to have her on because, let's face it, it's been a lonely y
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