Why We’re Talking About Loneliness

You know that empty feeling when you’re in a room full of people—yet still feel disconnected? Or when you’re alone and everyone else seems off in their own world? That’s what we call loneliness: a subjective sense that your social connections aren’t sufficient or meaningful.

It matters because chronic loneliness is linked to worse emotional health (anxiety, depression), and worse physical health (higher risk of disease, shorter lifespan). For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that “about 1 in 3 U.S. adults report feeling lonely.” CDC+1

In short: it’s not just “feeling blue” now and then—it’s a serious emotional-health and connection issue.

And that’s where Emotional Resolution or EmRes comes into play: identifying the emotional triggers of that disconnection, resolving them in the body, and opening the way for real connection and safety.

What the Numbers Say: Adults

Here are some key statistics showing how common loneliness is among adults, particularly in the U.S.:

• According to the CDC, in 2022 the prevalence estimate for loneliness was 32.1% of adults in 26 U.S. states. CDC+1

• In that same study, lack of social & emotional support was reported by 24.1% of adults. CDC

• Among adults aged 18-34, loneliness was even higher: 43.3% reported feeling lonely, and 29.7% lacked social/emotional support. CDC

• For older adults (ages 50-80), one national poll reported that “more than one-third” feel lonely, and almost as many feel socially isolated. Michigan Medicine+1

• Around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 16% of people globally experience loneliness; among older people, around 11.8%. World Health Organization

What this tells us:

• Loneliness is neither rare nor limited to older folks alone.

• Young adults are especially vulnerable (43% in one U.S. sample).

• Older adults remain at risk (1 in 3 or so in some samples).

• Because this emotional state is so prevalent, it makes sense to treat it not as a weird aberration but a normative emotional challenge—one that EmRes can address.

What the Numbers Say: Children, Teens & Adolescents

Loneliness isn’t just an adult problem. Children and teens also report it—and it carries emotional-health implications.

• A meta-analysis of adolescents (ages 12-17) across 76 countries found prevalence rates of loneliness between 9.2% and 14.4%, depending on the region. PMC+1

• For children as young as eight, one long-term study showed that up to 20% consistently reported loneliness over 24 years. PMC

• According to a research briefing in the UK, 40% of respondents aged 16-24 reported feeling lonely “often” or “very often”, while among those aged 65–74 the figure was 29%. Mental Health Foundation+1

Why this matters for younger people:

• When kids and teens feel lonely, they’re more likely to have poorer subjective health, lower life satisfaction, more psychosomatic complaints. PMC+1

• Loneliness in childhood or adolescence can become a pattern—setting the stage for emotional problems later on.

• Early intervention (with an approach like Self-EmRes) means we can clear emotional scarring before it deepens.

What’s Happening with Older Adults

Let’s dig a little deeper into older adulthood—because while we might expect older folks to be isolated and lonely, the data show both nuance and opportunity.

• A national example: for adults aged 50-80, roughly 37% reported loneliness and 34% reported isolation. JAMA Network+1

• According to a summary: among Americans aged 65 and older, about 24% were considered socially isolated, and among those aged 45+ “many” reported loneliness (35% or more) in earlier samples. NCBI

• The WHO notes that while younger people’s loneliness rates tend to be higher, older people still experience loneliness at meaningful rates. World Health Organization

What this means for emotional wellness:

• Older adults may face factors such as: loss of spouse/partner, retirement or reduced role, declining health/mobility, transportation issues, changing identity—all of which raise risk for loneliness.

• From an EmRes perspective: those life-changes often trigger emotional wounds (grief, abandonment, irrelevance, invisibility). If unresolved, those emotional patterns can keep habits of withdrawal, isolation, or self-protection alive.

• By working with EmRes (either individually or in groups), older clients can clear the emotional residue of life-loss, re-open to meaningful connection, and rebuild social-emotional resilience.

Why It Matters: Emotional & Physical Consequences

Loneliness doesn’t just feel bad—it is bad—especially when persistent. And this is where EmRes has real relevance.

• The CDC reports that adults who reported loneliness had much higher adjusted prevalence ratios for stress (3.61×), frequent mental distress (3.05×), and history of depression (2.38×) compared to adults who did not report loneliness. CDC+1

• The CDC also lists loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for heart disease, stroke, dementia, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, and premature death. CDC+1

• For younger people: research indicates loneliness in adolescence predicts depression. PMC+1

• From a health-systems perspective: because loneliness affects both mental and physical health, it is now considered a public health issue—not just a “feel-bad” state. World Health Organization

  
  

So how does EmRes fit?

During an EmRes session, the quality of attention of the EmRes Practitioner offers a space of genuine connection — a space where nothing is expected, where loneliness cannot exist, and where resilience can naturally emerge.

• When loneliness triggers are emotional (fear of rejection, shame of being ignored, the body holding tension from disconnection), EmRes offers a natural physiological method to clear those triggered emotions.

• Once the emotional loop is cleared, clients tend to feel more open to connection, more resilient in the face of relationship challenges, and less likely to withdraw.

• In other words: we’re not only helping clients cope with loneliness—we’re helping them resolve emotional patterns that keep them stuck in loneliness.

Loneliness is more than just “being by yourself.” It’s a sign—that your emotional system is stuck in a pattern of disconnection.

You’re Not Alone—And You Don’t Have to Stay Lonely

Loneliness can feel endless, like standing on one side of a glass wall—able to see connection, but unable to touch it. But that wall isn’t permanent. It’s emotional, and it can dissolve.

The statistics tell us loneliness is everywhere—across ages, cultures, and lifestyles. But the deeper truth is this: loneliness doesn’t have to define you. It’s a signal, not a sentence. It’s your body’s way of saying, “Something in me still needs to be felt and resolved.”

That’s where Emotional Resolution (EmRes) comes in. This isn’t about forcing positivity or trying to “think your way out” of loneliness. EmRes works through the body—where emotions actually live—helping you gently resolve the sensations and emotional imprints that keep you feeling isolated.

After an EmRes session—or even with a few minutes of Self-EmRes—many people notice a profound shift: the heaviness eases, the self-doubt quiets, and connection begins to feel natural again. You start to see yourself—and others—with clearer eyes and a softer heart.

Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a professional, or a retiree, you deserve to feel emotionally free and connected. Loneliness may be common, but it’s not your destiny. With Emotional Resolution, you can clear the inner noise that blocks connection and open yourself to belonging—naturally, peacefully, and for good.

You are not broken. You are wired for connection. And your body already knows the way back.

Images by AIDocMaker.com

About Sue

Sue Siebens uses Emotional Resolution, EmRes, to work at a fundamental level, where the roots of the illness, fear, and pain can be accessed and resolved. Sue teaches and writes to raise awareness about this new technology so that as many people as possible can find relief and peace in their life. Sue is based in Ft Worth, Tx, USA.