For far too many Americans, loneliness can become a painful secret, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D. said, revealing that he experienced this firsthand. 

"This is an issue so many people struggle with in the shadows because they feel ashamed. And that was true for me as well," he told ABC News.

Like many others, Dr. Murthy experienced loneliness as a child, and again as an adult.

"It was my wife Alice who stepped in and said, 'Hey I'm worried about you because you're not reaching out to people. You're not socializing with your friends,'" Dr. Murthy recalled.

Last month, Dr. Murthy released a new Surgeon General Advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. He said loneliness increases the risk of physical ailments like heart disease, dementia, and stroke plus mental ones, including depression, anxiety, and suicide. He adds the possibility of premature death due to loneliness could equal that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and can pose a greater health risk than living with obesity.

Click Here to watch the CBN News video report on loneliness

Murthy said about half of adults are struggling with loneliness and even greater numbers of children are. That can be surprising given the fact that many young people are frequently connecting with their peers online. However, Murthy said technology serves as a poor substitute for in-person connection.

Mental health experts, like psychiatrist Daniel Amen believe social media can prove to be addicting, and therefore predict the problem will only get worse. 

"I actually believe we're on the beginning of a tidal wave of brain and mental health problems in young people, and it's because we're more disconnected than ever before, disconnected from our own families because when people are together their faces are buried in their gadgets," Dr. Amen told CBN News.

Dr. Amen said loneliness was a serious problem in America before the pandemic, but the COVID-19-related shut-downs made loneliness "exponentially worse." He points out that while the pandemic is over, many people continue to remain isolated from those with whom they interacted before the pandemic. Therefore, he recommends minimizing screen time while maximizing in-person interactions. (Image: Pixabay)

"So it's back to Church," he said. "Go back to Church. Get involved. Get involved with groups. We have to go back. And really, no better place to solve it than the Church."

Dr. Amen also believes more public resources should be used to hire and train mental health professionals so they're more accessible and affordable to the people who need them. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Utah State QB Chooses to Forgo His Final Season to Become a Different Kind of Hero

Danielle Smith Warns Trudeau Government She's Going Ahead With Natural Gas Projects Despite Regulations

DeSantis DOMINATES in Red State-Blue State Governors Debate With Newsom [Video]

Trial Date Set: Court Docs Say VA Election Official 'Altered Election Results' in 2020 Election

Deutsche Bank May Have Just Destroyed Letitia James' Civil Fraud Case against Trump

Rep George Santos Expelled from Congress

Former Justice O'Connor, First Woman to Serve on US Supreme Court Dies at 93

Israeli Hostages Recount Beatings, Death Threats in Captivity

IDF Resumes Combat in Gaza after Hamas Violates Ceasefire

Religious Freedom Victory: US Capitol Tree Removes Ban on Ornaments Displaying 'Religious Symbols' from Being Displayed on the 2023 Tree

Lack of 'Affirmation' Is Child Abuse: New Biden Rule Applies Transgender Standard to Foster Care

Poll Shows Nationwide Support for Parental Notification Policies in Schools

US House Proposes Bill Defunding Planned Parenthood, Banning 'Sex Changes' With Taxpayer Dollars

Hamas Hostage's Mother Shares Horrific Details of What She Heard During Terror Attack, Her Warning to the World

Three Killed, 6 Wounded in Jerusalem Terror Attack as Gaza Cease-Fire Extended Another Day

Henry Kissinger, Former Secretary of State and Architect of Population Control, Dies at 100

Bombshell Revelation: 'Over 200' FBI Agents Embedded Within Crowd on J6; FBI Agents behind Talk of Violence in Chat Groups [Video]

A Young Woman Shares the Gospel in an Airplane Full of Passengers, and Her Video Goes Viral

'DO NOT' Use He or She Pronouns: Internal Border Patrol Memo Revealed

Seattle Middle School Teacher Made Students Write Hate Mail to Moms for Liberty