U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s warning of a loneliness epidemic in the U.S. was the topic of discussion during a recent meeting between Excelsior Springs Hospital’s Psychiatrist and Medical Director Roshan Dasari and the Excelsior Springs Substance Abuse-Free Environment coalition. “People are all wired to be together and have become more isolated over time,” Dasari said, noting there is a link between isolation and loneliness, and a person’s mental and physical well-being. He explained living in isolation reduces a person’s chance of survival and increases the risk of premature death by 29 percent, causing an increase in heart disease, stroke, and type two diabetes. Older adults having reduced social contact are also subject to an increased risk of developing dementia by 50 percent. Dasari mentioned lacking social connection is linked to the same dangers as someone who is smoking up to 15 cigar ettes a day. That...