For me, it all started with John Cacioppo. It was around 2010 when I first read his work on loneliness. Back then, I was just your standard psychology nerd, geeking out, not realising that I would eventually experience profound loneliness myself.

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I regard Professor Cacioppo as the 'Elvis' of social neuroscience, and Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad as the 'Beyonce'. Their contributions have been revolutionary across multiple fields, and in my own learning journey.

 

Without Cacioppo, Holt-Lunstad, and other early scientists and philosophers who devoted themselves to this topic, I might never have developed a passion for social wellbeing.​ For newer thinkers, researchers, and advocates, they are the giants upon whose shoulders we stand.

 

In recent years, some excellent resources have been released, bringing the topics of loneliness and social wellbeing out of the ivory towers of academia and into our everyday lives. Below, some are listed for you to explore.​ 

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Please note that if I've mentioned a resource here, it means that I personally recommend that content. It is not intended to imply mutual endorsement from the creator.

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First, check out this evidence-packed report from the WHO Commission on Social Connection:

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From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies

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You can find TedX talks by both Holt-Lunstad and Cacioppo. 

 

Dr. Holt-Lunstad continues to lead the charge on understanding loneliness and how it affects us, and I'd recommend any interested parties to explore her website.

 

Prof. Cacioppo has now sadly passed, but leaves the legacy of a book (co-authored with William Patrick) entitled Loneliness.

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Here are a few other books that I've found fascinating:

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Belonging by Owen Eastwood

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Friendship in the Age of Loneliness by Adam Smiley Poswolsky

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The Art and Science of Connection by Kasley Killam

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The Village Effect by Susan Pinker

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Lost Connections by Johann Hari

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Together by Vivek H. Murthy

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Platonic by Marisa Franco

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 Billy No-Mates  Billy No Mates by Max Dickins

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Together: Te Oranga o te Katoa by Amanda Wallis & Gaynor Parkin

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Solitude: A Return to the Self by Anthony Storr

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This Exquisite Loneliness by Richard Deming

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Project Unlonely by Jeremy Nobel

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Awkward by Ty Tashiro

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 The Good Life  The Good Life by Robert Waldinger & Marc Schulz

     

Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam

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If you don't have time for a book, here are a few articles you might find interesting:

 

The Power and Prevalence of Loneliness (Harvard Health Blog)

America Is Getting Lonelier and More Indoorsy (The Atlantic, Hannah Seo)

How to Scale Sideways (Excerpt from Fragile Neighborhoods by Seth D. Kaplan)

1 in 5 Employees Worldwide Feel Lonely (Gallup)

We're Still Lonely at Work (Harvard Business Review, Constance Noonan Hadley and Sarah Wright)

NZ-led study: Social isolation can age your brain faster (NZ Herald, Jamie Morton)

The Lonely Statistics: Age Concern calls for Ministry for Loneliness to support elderly New Zealanders (NZ Herald)

If You're Lonely, You're Not Alone (1 News)

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If you're not a reader, but love to listen, you might enjoy the Humans:Connecting podcast, hosted by the wonderful Phil McAuliffe. available via Spotify, Apple or Youtube.

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