The Cambridge Handbook of Loneliness

Seeking to demystify loneliness, this book compiles rigorous research on its measurement, causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment.

Bringing together experts in psychology, relationship science, neuroscience, medicine, sociology, and gerontology, this handbook demystifies the phenomenon of loneliness. It presents rigorous interdisciplinary research using accessible language, making it a valuable resource for social science scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners.Everyone has experienced loneliness – perhaps briefly – perhaps for many years. This handbook explores why people of all ages can become lonely, and features steps that can be taken by individuals, communities, and entire societies to prevent and alleviate loneliness. Chapters present rigorous scientific research drawn from psychology, relationship science, neuroscience, physiology, sociology, public health, and gerontology to demystify the phenomenon of loneliness and its consequences. The volume investigates the significant risks that loneliness poses to health and the harmful physiological processes it can set in motion. It also details numerous approaches to help people overcome loneliness from multiple perspectives, including traditional and cognitive psychotherapy, online interventions, efforts to connect individuals to their communities, and designing communities as well as public health programs and policies to create a greater sense of social connection. Using accessible terminology understandable to a non-medical audience, it is an important work for social science scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners.