Poll reveals this group is now the loneliest in the US, they are inside the shocking 'epidemic'. Here's why

A new Gallup poll has found that young men in the United States of America are among the loneliest in the western world. Researchers collected data from 2023 to 2024 and discovered that US Gen Z and millennial men are the loneliest (25%) compared to only 18% of American women in the same age group, according to a report in New York Post.

The report suggests that one in four American men under 35 feel more isolated than their peers in other countries — including France, Canada, Ireland and Spain. This demographic is also one of the loneliest of all in the US, with 25% of men in this age group saying they felt lonely a lot of the previous day—significantly higher than the national average of 18% and the total for young women (also 18%).

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American men among the loneliest

In 2023, former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a national epidemic—a condition that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raises the risk of depression, anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and stroke. And what exactly is causing today’s generation of young men to feel so secluded from the outside world? According to experts, it’s from a variety of things.

Justin Yong, a psychotherapist based in New York City, told Fortune that many men are becoming increasingly disconnected from the world around them, largely due to the influence of digital distractions such as video games and pornography. These activities, he explained, provide short bursts of dopamine and temporary relief, which often take the place of genuine intimacy and make it harder for men to be vulnerable or process their emotions.

Another major issue facing young men, Yong added, is the pressure to conform to traditional ideas of masculinity.

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“The trouble is, when men suppress parts of who they are to meet societal expectations, they start to feel disconnected—even from their closest relationships,” said psychologist Michael Reichert. “They begin to hide aspects of themselves because they believe the world doesn’t want to see those parts—this starts as early as age four.”

What makes this loneliness crisis particularly alarming is its serious impact on men's health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that chronic loneliness can be as harmful as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

“Loneliness is no longer a private issue—it crosses borders and has become a global public health challenge that touches every area of life, from health and wellbeing to development,” African Union Youth Envoy Chido Mpemba told The Guardian.

Experts like US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy believe strongly in addressing this ongoing issue as seriously as other health concerns.

“Given the profound health and societal consequences of loneliness and isolation, we have an obligation to make the same investments in rebuilding the social fabric of society that we have made in addressing other global health concerns, such as tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis,” Murthy said in a statement.