Is there a cure for loneliness?
UC psychiatry expert joins WVXU's Cincinnati Edition discussion
The University of Cincinnati's Stephen Rush joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to discuss the "loneliness epidemic" and ways to foster greater connection to address feelings of loneliness.
Rush said evolving social norms and reduced face to face interactions following the COVID-19 pandemic likely contribute to feelings of loneliness.
"We kind of live in a society now post-pandemic where only 35% of people feel that we have returned to the baseline pre-pandemic," said Rush, associate professor of clinical psychiatry in UC's College of Medicine, medical director of ambulatory services and a UC Health physician. "And breaking some of those habits we created for our health, social distancing, staying away from other people, may have turned into longer term habits that isolate us in emotionally negative ways."
Shairi Turner, MD, chief health officer, Crisis Text Line, told WVXU people experiencing loneliness can text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer with the Crisis Text Line. Alternatively, if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Research additionally shows activities including reading, exercising, participating in team sports and going to outdoor spaces to enjoy nature can help ease feelings of loneliness. Volunteering can also make an impact, Turner and Rush said.
"Volunteering forces one to step outside of yourself. Volunteering can be powerful in as much as it gives you a sense of control," Rush said. "You are engaging in an activity of your own will for the benefit of others, and anything that we do that takes us outside of ourselves in that way, stops us from focusing on what we’re unhappy with internally and can convert that into helping other people is usually going to make us feel better than we did going into it."
Listen to the Cincinnati Edition segment.
Featured photo at top of a person sitting on a bed facing a window. Photo/wombatzaa/iStock Photo.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.