Overcoming Loneliness in the Legal Profession
7.22.2026
Stress, anxiety, depression. Many lawyers will confront one or more of these mental health issues during their professional lives. Yet what about loneliness, which can also be a serious mental health issue? Despite research suggesting lawyers are lonelier than workers in most other professions, loneliness is barely mentioned, if at all, in discussions about struggling with the pressures of being a lawyer.[1] Perhaps it is because loneliness is seen as more of an emotional wound than a physical one. Yet loneliness can have devastating effects of its own, effects that can impact a lawyer’s career and quality of life. This article will examine those effects and what steps a lawyer might take to overcome them.
Over the course of my 35 years as a litigation attorney, there were many times when I felt lonely, carrying the weight of responsibilities that demanded a great deal of my time and the expectations of my colleagues and clients. But early in my career, I developed a number of friendships both inside and outside the firm that eased this burden. Today, the number of lawyers experiencing loneliness is much higher, with effects that are troubling not only for the emotional and physical well-being of individual lawyers but also for the profession as a whole.
The Rise of Loneliness in American Culture and the Law
“As it has built for decades, the epidemic of loneliness and isolation has fueled other problems that are killing us and threaten to rip our country apart.”[2] – Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General
Beyond the lives lawyers lead at work, they are part of a wider culture in which the seeds of loneliness are sown long before they enter the profession. In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy sounded the alarm in “Our Epidemic of Loneliness: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.”[3]
In a letter introducing the urgent advisory, he writes: “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling – it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with greater cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical activity.”[4]
In his 2020 book on the topic of loneliness, Murthy further makes an important distinction between social isolation and loneliness, noting that the two are different: “Social isolation is objectively having few social relationships, social roles, group memberships, and infrequent social interactions. On the other hand, loneliness is a subjective internal state. It’s the distressing experience that results from perceived isolation or unmet need between an individual’s preferred and actual experience.”[5]
What this means is that even if you are surrounded by colleagues in a busy office, you can still experience loneliness.
Murthy also makes a distinction between loneliness and solitude: “Loneliness is … distinct from the objective state of isolation. What’s missing when you’re lonely is the feeling of closeness, trust and the affection of genuine friends, loved ones and community.”[6]
According to his surgeon general’s report, only 39% of U.S. adults experienced feeling very connected.[7]This was based on experiences prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, when loneliness and isolation increased significantly.[8]
Why does loneliness have such a negative impact on health and well-being? Murthy points to human evolution and how our brains developed:
“Social connection is a fundamental human need, as essential to survival as food, water, and shelter. Throughout history, our ability to rely on one another has been crucial to survival. Now, even in modern times, we human beings are biologically wired for social connection. Our brains have adapted to expect proximity to others. Our distant ancestors relied on others to help them meet their basic needs. Living in isolation, or outside the social group, means having to fulfill the many difficult demands of survival on one’s own. This requires far more effort and reduces one’s chances of survival. Despite current advancements that now allow us to live without engaging with others (e.g., food delivery, automation, remote entertainment), our biological needs remain.”[9]
In addressing the causal connection between loneliness and mental health, Murthy explains how depression and anxiety can cause social isolation as well as be caused by it. A systematic review of multiple longitudinal studies found that “the odds of developing depression in adults is more than double among people who report feeling lonely often, compared to those who rarely or never feel lonely. Furthermore, in older adults, both social isolation and loneliness have been shown to independently increase the likelihood of depression or anxiety.”[10]
Does Being a Lawyer Make You Lonely?
“Like so many lawyers, loneliness was an undercurrent during periods of my legal career, a drain on my energy, my health, and – at times – on my ability to be on my game.”[11] – Bree Buchanan, “Loneliness in Law: A Silent Source of Our Suffering”
Are lawyers worse off when it comes to loneliness? When compared to most other occupations, the answer is yes. A 2018 Harvard Business Review article reported the results of a survey of more than 1,600 workers on the topic of loneliness, finding that when loneliness and social support were ranked by profession, legal practice was the loneliest profession.[12] More than 61% of lawyers scored above average for chronic isolation, surpassing engineers, scientists, and educators.[13]
More recent studies confirm that loneliness remains a significant problem in the legal profession. A 2023 American Legal Media study found that over 45% of lawyers at firms felt isolated or lonely at work, and 33% felt helpless, trapped or detached from the world.[14] A follow-up survey in 2024 found that loneliness and isolation remained widespread and were closely linked to chronic burnout, overcommitment and industry pressure.[15]
ALM 2025 showed almost 33% of lawyers reported feeling lonely.[16] This year’s survey showed little change, with over 35% saying they were struggling with loneliness, while over 67% struggled with anxiety and 34% with depression.[17] Almost 59% felt that mental health and substance abuse are at a “crisis level.”[18]
Other surveys have likewise found that law students[19] and judges[20] experience significant loneliness.
Lawyer and wellness advocate Karen Munoz makes an important observation about lawyers who are in racial minorities, noting that according to studies, “minority lawyers disproportionately experience isolation and disconnection in practice.”[21]
Loneliness can also be a predictor of suicide risk. The landmark 2023 study, “Stressed, Lonely, and Overcommitted: Predictors of Lawyer Suicide Risk,” surveyed roughly 2,000 practicing attorneys to understand why legal professionals contemplate suicide at twice the rate of the general population.[22] In the introduction to their research findings, the authors reference a 2016 nationwide study of 13,000 practicing lawyers showing they suffer from significantly higher rates of mental health issues, including anxiety (19%), depression (28%), suicidal ideation (11-12.5%), and alcohol abuse.[23]
The survey concluded that the profile of a lawyer at the highest risk for suicide is a lonely or socially isolated male with a high level of unmanageable stress, who is overly committed to their work, and may have a history of mental health problems.[24]
The results should be deeply worrisome to all legal professionals because, as Shawn Healy, a licensed clinical psychologist with Massachusetts Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc., writes, “The experience of feeling alone drives addiction, depression, stress, burnout, and relationship turmoil.”[25] This observation is borne out by research showing that substance abusers show a much greater incidence of loneliness,[26] as do adults with depression (lonely individuals are estimated to have a 15-30% higher risk of developing depressive disorders),[27] stress,[28] burnout[29] and romantic relationships.[30]
Why Some Lawyers Don’t Ask for Help
In light of the research that supports the conclusion that loneliness is a problem in the legal profession, why might lawyers not share their experiences with colleagues?
The resistance to seeking help may have something to do with how U.S. culture views loneliness. Psychologist Jean Twinge explains that people who feel lonely might feel ashamed: “Maybe I’m lonely because I did something wrong, or maybe I should have all these relationships around me. … But so many people these days are lonely. It’s just the way our culture has shifted.”[31]
When it comes to attorneys, Jon Tynjala, a former practicing attorney and now a clinical director with the Minnesota Bar Association’s Lawyers Helping Lawyers, writes: “When you add the perceived stigma of admitting weakness by asking for help or confessing the existence of an addiction or other mental health condition, you have the ingredients for a toxic soup of isolation and loneliness.”[32]
Rebecca Simon Green, a lecturer and former professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law was interviewed on the topic of loneliness in the law and had this to say: “One of the key issues we’ve seen in the legal profession is that it isn’t safe to be emotional, because it’s seen as a weakness. There is a sense of loneliness, isolation, sadness, that I’m the only one who can’t handle it.”[33]
New York State Bar Association at the Forefront
Prevention and removing barriers are the keys to aiding those in need of help because individuals often take their health, including their mental health, for granted until they find themselves in a troubling situation.
The New York State Bar Association addresses this by promoting and providing well-being and self-care programming for its members.
The goals are to increase awareness, reduce stigma, provide practical tools, and to encourage individuals to seek help at the earliest opportunity, according to Lawyer Assistance Program Director Stacey Whiteley.
The association assists lawyers through two programs. The Lawyer Assistance Program provides intervention and support, while the Attorney Well-Being Program focuses on prevention, continued wellness and community building. Services also include a peer support network that consists of trained volunteer attorneys who offer one-on-one, confidential support.
“A lot of the lawyers who call the Lawyer Assistance Program say, ‘I’m feeling isolated and disconnected, and I don’t think anybody else is experiencing what I’m experiencing.’ They are concerned about reaching out to other people because they don’t think anybody can understand what they’re going through. That is loneliness,” said Whiteley.
Whiteley added that it is important for individuals to discover opportunities and the impetus to interact with others.
“The biggest benefit of our volunteer peer support is getting that connection. I think once you know that you’re not alone, you’re able to address the problem. You have some strength from that,” she said.
The association’s Lawyer Assistance Program has hosted an annual spring retreat in Lake George each May for the past 20 years. The retreat offers a welcoming environment for members navigating mental health challenges and addiction recovery.
“With the Lawyer Assistance Committee, we have a lot of first timers coming to our retreat, so what we’re doing is pairing up people who have been with us awhile with lawyers who are new to us, and so it’s almost like having mentors. That way they’re not coming in and feeling more alone and separate,” Whiteley said.
Section membership, which is free for up to two sections, is also a gateway for members to connect with their colleagues.
“When you belong to one of our sections, which bring together like-minded people who practice in the same area, you’re with people who speak the same language, have had the same experience, so that you have something to talk about right away. You have small talk at the tip of your tongue,” Whiteley said.
Small talk, for all its reputation as being superficial, is simply a relatively safe way to strike up a conversation and get to know people. Psychologist Gillian M. Sandstrom, the author of a book on small talk, argues that small talk can have significant effects on overall well-being as well as help reduce anxiety in social situations.[34]
Strategies To Decrease Lawyer Loneliness and Promote Better Mental Health and Well-Being
- Talk Therapy and Peer Support
Over the years, as a lawyer, I frequently discussed loneliness with my therapist. When I was the managing partner, my colleagues saw me as extroverted, but inwardly I was more introverted – leaving me professionally isolated. And like so many other lawyers, I struggled with anxiety and depression. Although I appeared confident, I often avoided social interactions, which contributed to my loneliness and sense of shame. I also struggled to communicate with other firm leaders and I felt stressed and pressured, heightening my sense of isolation. Loneliness only fed my depression and anxiety; they made me feel even more alone.
Therapy enabled me to express my feelings openly and offered evidence-based methods to reduce my sense of isolation. A recent study indicates that psychological treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy yield the most significant improvements in reducing loneliness. These therapies develop skills such as cognitive restructuring[35] (reframing negative thoughts about social situations), social skills training[36] (enhancing conversation and boundary-setting), and behavioral activation[37] (gradually boosting confidence through low-pressure community activities), all of which have been shown to be effective.[38]
Mathias Lasgaard, a psychologist and leading global researcher specializing in loneliness and social isolation, addresses the various types of therapy and how they can help:
“Many psychological interventions involve addressing social cognition – how people think about themselves, others, and social situations. Cognitive behavioral therapy addresses this explicitly. For example, a person experiencing loneliness might repeatedly assume that others will reject them or interpret social cues as negative. An intervention may help the individual notice these automatic thoughts, question their accuracy, and replace them with more balanced interpretations. Over time, this could reduce social avoidance, making it easier to build and maintain relationships.”[39]
In addition to individual in-person therapy, group and virtual modalities can also help. Both group and virtual therapy have demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing loneliness. Group therapy addresses feelings of isolation by highlighting the concept of “universality” – the understanding that others face similar struggles – which helps cultivate meaningful, genuine connections that surpass what a mere crowd can offer.[40]
For lawyers with busy schedules that make in-person counseling difficult, virtual therapy – especially internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy – is supported by research showing that treatments targeting maladaptive social thoughts and behaviors can significantly reduce loneliness.[41]
Peer support groups can also foster connection and skills-building in a different way than group therapy led by a mental health worker. Group therapy provides active mental health treatment led by a licensed clinician to diagnose and change behaviors. In contrast, peer support groups provide emotional support and shared coping strategies, and are usually led by individuals with lived experience rather than licensed professionals.[42]
After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety years ago, I struggled to find others who shared my experience. It was a profoundly lonely time in my life. After a few years of searching, I created a support group for lawyers in my bar community. We meet twice a week virtually and have lunch once a month; everything is confidential. In these groups, fellow lawyers discuss the challenges and effective strategies for building authentic relationships with others in and out of the law. Support groups and social support interventions are generally effective in reducing loneliness by providing emotional support, reducing stigma and fostering connection.[43]
- Strive for Authentic Connection: Put Down Your Phone
Lawyers have complicated relationships with their cell phones, a situation born of the never-ending demands of the profession, entertainment and distraction, and human connection and isolation.[44] Cell phones are necessary, but excessive use can be unhealthy and lead to loneliness.[45] Constant mobile connectivity fosters an “always-on” culture that worsens loneliness and mental health problems among legal professionals because they feel they can never disconnect from their jobs.[46] Over 90% of lawyers use mobile devices to work remotely, and more than 80% use smartphones directly in the courtroom.[47]
Research confirms that being on the phone constantly for work contributes to loneliness. Spending excessive time on devices blurs the boundaries between work and personal life, causes social isolation and replaces fulfilling face-to-face interactions.[48]
Psychiatrist Mitchell B. Liester writes that it is how we use our smartphones that compounds feelings of isolation and loneliness: “While in the presence of others, many cell phone users focus more on their digital device than the people around them, creating what researchers call ‘absent presence.’ This condition of being physically present but mentally and emotionally absent undercuts the quality of interpersonal interactions that produce social connection.”[49]
The New York Times reports that excessive smartphone use functions as a behavioral addiction, replacing authentic in-person interactions with digital stimulation, leading to loneliness and a reduction of empathy. Experts recommend combating this by treating addictive apps as “junk food” to delete and adopting “analog resets” to foster physical, non-digital connections.[50]
The length of time you are on the phone doesn’t seem to make a difference. One study found that two different measures of social media use – time and frequency – each correlated with loneliness; that is, many short “checks” are just as apt to be associated with loneliness as a few long sessions.[51]
Research shows that deleting addictive apps is one of the most effective ways to break phone addiction. It forces conscious decision-making by removing visual cues and adding “friction” to your daily habits, helping you regain focus, sleep better and lower anxiety.[52] Another study found that a two-week “digital detox” improves mental health.[53]
- Daily Micro-Connections
Most of us have momentary interactions with others, whether we’re walking down the street, at a coffee shop or in the elevator. Are small interactions with strangers, which can be called “micro-connections,” simply pleasant enough, but inconsequential, or do they help address loneliness?
Research suggests that these small moments actually matter deeply. A 2024 study examined whether interactions with people close to you compared to strangers and casual acquaintances made a difference to people’s feelings of connection.[54]
The results show that the quality of people’s interactions with strangers and acquaintances predicted their reported loneliness, sense of belonging and mental health symptoms just as strongly as the quality of their close relationships. Quality interactions with strangers and acquaintances didn’t just matter for well-being; they mattered just as much as your inner circle of family, close friends and colleagues.[55]
Commenting on why this might be the case, psychiatrist Maymunah Yusaf Kadiri writes: “Those pockets of interaction bring that humanness. They bring that connection. They bring a view of how people’s lives are, so you’re not just in your own cocoon.”[56]
Bree Buchanan, a lawyer and wellness consultant for legal professionals, notes: “While long-term quality relationships may bring the most satisfaction, short interactions of a positive nature with people encountered over the course of the day can also boost one’s sense of connection and well-being.”[57]
If quality interactions with strangers matter just as much as close relationships, how often do people actually put themselves in situations where they can interact with strangers? If you’ve been in your office with the door closed for hours, take a break and go to the coffee shop and have a nice exchange with a barista. At the courthouse? Chat with a court officer or clerk whom you pass by in the hall. While nothing more might come of these interactions, they can help you feel a little bit less alone.
- Volunteering
Volunteering can significantly reduce loneliness by fostering social connections, providing a sense of purpose and improving mental well-being.[58] It offers structured social interaction, allowing individuals to build relationships, boost self-esteem and feel valued.
I have found volunteering to be a powerful antidote to loneliness. Ten years ago, while I was going through a period of clinical depression and profound disconnection, another lawyer suggested I volunteer at St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy, a Catholic church and school on the east side of Buffalo. There, at the director’s suggestion, I began mentoring a 9-year-old boy who didn’t have a dad. I have a daughter but no son, and 10 years later, George and I have much more than a traditional mentor-mentee relationship. We share a deep bond and love, like a father and son. While no panacea, volunteering gave me a steady sense of belonging, warmth and meaning outside the office. No doubt, lawyers are always pressed for time. But if I had to identify one of the biggest impacts on my mental health outside of work, volunteering would be at the top of my list.
Conclusion
Lawyers struggling with loneliness need to know they are not alone. Many lawyers are experiencing it; the statistics bear this out. They need not feel any shame.
While the precise reasons for loneliness may differ for each lawyer, we can agree that steps – both individually and systematically – need to be taken to alleviate this painful state of mind, which can have negative mental and physical health consequences.
We are all more prone to loneliness now than ever for many reasons. Our excessive use of technology has altered how we work and live, which is evident through the growing number of individuals who work from home or shop online. Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic heightened our sense of social disconnection with each other, but it also made many people realize how important connection is in their lives.[59] Lawyers are especially vulnerable to feelings of loneliness, but fortunately, there is increasing attention to the impact of loneliness, and as a result, more education and support for people to get help.
It is my hope that in providing some concrete strategies lawyers can use to help themselves, lawyers who are lonely will find hope that things can improve. The first step is always the hardest, but the journey toward a more connected and meaningful life is worth it.
Daniel T. Lukasik serves as the judicial wellness coordinator for the New York State Office of Court Administration. Prior to his appointment, he practiced as a trial lawyer for more than 30 years. A mental health advocate and law professor, he has delivered more than 250 presentations on stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression across the U.S. and his work has been featured in major media outlets. He has received numerous awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, the University at Buffalo School of Law, and NYSBA’s Public Service Award.
Endnotes:
[1] Debra Cassens Weiss, Lawyers Rank High on ‘Loneliness Scale,’ Study Finds, ABA Journal (April 3, 2018), https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lawyers_rank_highest_on_loneliness_scale_study_finds.
[2] Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General: We Have Become a Lonely Nation. It’s Time to Fix That, N.Y. Times (Apr. 30, 2023), https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/opinion/loneliness-epidemic-america.html.
[3] Vivek H. Murthy, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory of the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community (May 3, 2023), law.isba.org/4hgk93J.
[4] Vivek H. Murthy, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World (Harper Wave, 2020), at 25.
[5] Vivek H. Murthy, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory of the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community (May 3, 2023) at 9, law.isba.org/4hgk93J.
[6] Vivek H. Murthy, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World (Harper Wave, 2020), at 25.
[7] Id. at 4. (citations omitted).
[8] Id. at 4. (citations omitted).
[9] Id. at 9. (citation omitted).
[10] Id. at 29. (citation omitted).
[11] Bree Buchanan, Loneliness in Law: A Silent Source of Our Suffering, Legal Business World (Feb. 19, 2024), available at https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7165377470643232768.
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Chelsey Fredlund, Mental Health by the Numbers: An Infographic Mapping the Legal Industry’s Well-Being, The American Lawyer (2023), https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2023/05/18/mental-health-by-the-numbers-an-infographic-mapping-the-legal-industrys-wellbeing/.
[15] K.R. Sheikh, Mental Health by the Numbers: The 2024 Survey Infographic, The American Lawyer (May 17, 2024), https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2024/05/17/mental-health-by-the-numbers-the-2024-survey-infographic.
[16] The 2025 Mental Health Survey Infographic, The American Lawyer (May 13, 2025), https://www.law.com/2025/05/13/the-2025-mental-health-survey-infographic/.
[17] Mental Health by the Numbers: The 2026 Survey Infographic, The American Lawyer (May 2, 2026), https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2026/05/21/mental-health-by-the-numbers-the-2026-survey-infographic.
[18] Id.
[19] Olivia Ash, The Prevalence and Effects of Loneliness in the General Population, Lawyer Well-Being, and a Survey of Law Students (May 17, 2019), https://ssrn.com/abstract=3390457 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3390457.
[20] David Swenson et al, Stress and Resiliency in the U.S. Judiciary, 2 Journal of the Professional Lawyer (2020), 1-65, https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/professional_responsibility/journal-of-the-professional-lawyer-2020.pdf. See also Terry Maroney et al, How Are You Holding Up? The State of Judges’ Well-Being: A Report on the 2019 National Judicial Stress and Resiliency Survey, 107 Judicature 22 (2023), https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/faculty-publications/1407/.
[21] Karen Munoz, Lonely Lawyers, 112 (12) Illinois Bar Journal, at 26 (Dec. 2024).
[22] P.R. Krill et al, Stressed, Lonely, and Overcommitted: Predictors of Lawyer Suicide Risk, 11 (4) Healthcare, at 536 (2023).
[23] Id.
[24] Id. at 12.
[25] Shawn Healy, Lonely Lawyers: Feelings of Isolation + Identifying Support, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (June 20, 2019), https://www.lclma.org/2019/06/20/lonely-lawyers-feeling-isolated-identifying-support/.
[26] Mohsen Hosseinbor et al, Emotional and Social Loneliness in Individuals with and without Substance Dependence Disorder, 3 (3) Int J High Risk Behav Addict (Aug. 25, 2014): e22688. doi: 10.5812/ijhrba.22688. PMID: 25632385; PMCID: PMC4295122.
[27] Oluwasegun Akinyemi et al, The Impact of Loneliness on Depression, Mental Health, and Physical Well-Being, 20 (7) PLoS One (July 9, 2025): e0319311. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319311. PMID: 40632698; PMCID: PMC12240311.
[28] M.J. Zawadski and L. Gavrilova, All the Lonely People: Comparing the Effects of Loneliness as a Social Stressor to Non-Lonely Stress on Blood Pressure Recovery, 167 International Journal of Psychophysiology, 94-101 (2021). doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.06.016.
[29] Kiffer G. Card et al, Loneliness and Social Support as Key Contributors to Burnout Among Canadians Workers in the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study. 64(1) J Occup Health (2022): e12360. doi: 10.1002/1348-9585.12360. PMID: 36111392; PMCID: PMC9478518.
[30] Ami Rokach, Loneliness in Intimate Relationships Scale (LIRS): Development and Validation, 19 (19) Int J Environ Res Public Health, 12970 (Oct. 10, 2022). doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912970. PMID: 36232275; PMCID: PMC9565016.
[31] Wisdom & Influence Podcast, Loneliness, Technology, and the Search for Real Connection, Cornerstone University (Jan. 20, 2026), https://www.endsocialisolation.org/.
[32] Jon M. Tynjala, What I’ve Learned About Loneliness, Isolation, and the Legal Profession Through My Recovery, Bench & Bar of Minn., at 24 (Apr. 2025).
[33] Lizzy McLellan, Battling an ‘Epidemic’ of Loneliness Among Lawyers, The American Lawyer (May 28, 2019), https://www.law.com/2019/05/28/battling-an-epidemic-of-loneliness-among-lawyers/.
[34] Jancee Dunn, The Big Benefits of Small Talk, N.Y. Times (Feb. 27, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/well/benefits-small-talk.html.
[35] Kory Floyd, Colter D. Ray,and Josephine K. Boumis, Cognitive Distortions Associated with Loneliness: An Exploratory Study. 15 (8) Behav Sci (Basel) (Aug. 5, 2025):1061. doi: 10.3390/bs15081061. PMID: 40867419; PMCID: PMC12382717.
[36] Christopher M. Masi et al, A Meta-Analysis of Interventions to Reduce Loneliness, 15 (3) Pers Soc Psychol Rev., 219-66 (Aug 2011). doi: 10.1177/1088868310377394. Epub 2010 Aug 17. PMID: 20716644; PMCID: PMC3865701.
[37] Emily Myers et al, Behavioral Activation for Social Connection: A Systematic Review and Synthesized Conceptual Framework, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (March 12, 2026), [https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075261435008].
[38] Mathias Lasgaard et al, Are Loneliness Interventions Effective for Reducing Loneliness? A Meta-Analytic Review of 280 Studies, American Psychologist (October 23, 2025), https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-amp0001578.pdf.
[39] Press Release, American Psychological Association, Loneliness Interventions Help But Are Not a Cure-All (Oct. 23, 2025), https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2025/10/loneliness-interventions.
[40] Cheri L. Marmarosh et al, New Horizons in Group Psychotherapy Research and Practice From Third Wave Positive Psychology: A Practice-Friendly Review, 25(3) Res Psychother., at 643 (Nov. 4, 2022), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9893048, [doi: 10.4081/ripppo.2022.643. PMID: 36373391; PMCID: PMC9893048].
[41] Noëmi Seewer et al, Efficacy of an Internet-based Self-Help Intervention with Human Guidance or Automated Messages to Alleviate Loneliness: A Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial, 14 Sci Rep, at 6569 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57254-0.
[42] See, Marla Deibler, Understanding Group Therapy and Support Groups, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (Aug. 31, 2022), https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/understanding-group-therapy-and-support-groups.
[43] See, Guangting Huang et al, The Effectiveness of Social Support Interventions on Loneliness Among Older People in the Community: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials, 6 Front Aging (Jan. 7, 2026) 1594513. doi: 10.3389/fragi.2025.1594513. PMID: 41573241; PMCID: PMC12819595.
[44] Andrea Christodoulou and Petros Roussos, ‘Phone in the Room, Mind on the Roam’: Investigating the Impact of Mobile Phone Presence on Distraction, 15(5) Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ. , at 74 (May 8, 2025) doi: 10.3390/ejihpe15050074. PMID: 40422303; PMCID: PMC12110250.
[45] Wei Zhu et al, Smartphone Dependence and Its Influence on Physical and Mental Health, 16 Front Psychiatry 1281841 (Aug. 19, 2025) doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1281841. PMID: 40904566; PMCID: PMC12401922.
[46] Jessica Pikulski, Trouble Disconnecting? Put Down Your Phone After Hours, Bloomberg Law (Mar. 25, 2022), https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberg-law-analysis/analysis-trouble-disconnecting-put-down-your-phone-after-hours.
[47] Jeff Richardson, 2022 ABA Tech Survey Provides Information on Attorney Use on iPhones and iPads, iPhone J.D. (Nov. 28, 2022), https://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2022/11/aba-survey.html.
[48] Elisabeth Figueiredo et al, Loneliness and Isolation in the Era of Telework: A Comprehensive Review of Challenges for Organizational Success, 13(16) Healthcare (Basel), at 1943 (Aug. 8, 2025). doi: 10.3390/healthcare13161943. PMID: 40868559; PMCID: PMC12385570.
[49] Mitchell B. Liester, When Cell Phones Replace People: Exploring the Modern Epidemic of Digital Disconnection, Psychology Today (May 7, 2025), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-leading-edge/202505/when-cell-phones-replace-people.
[50] Brian X. Chen, Struggling with Phone Addiction? Try These Remedies, N.Y. Times (April 30, 2026), https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/technology/personaltech/phone-addiction-remedies.html.
[51] Tore Bonsaksen et al, Associations Between Social Media Use and Loneliness in a Cross-National Population: Do Motives for Social Media Use Matter? 11(1) Health Psychol Behav Med. 21580892 (Jan. 1, 2023), doi: 10.1080/21642850.2022.2158089. PMID: 36618890; PMCID: PMC9817115.
[52] Kevin Roose, Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain, N.Y. Times (Feb. 23, 2019), www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/business/cell-phone-addiction.html.
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