This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A top psychiatrist, in response to a federal determination that loneliness now is a major problem in the United States, is suggesting people return to church.
According to a report from CBN, Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist, is a mental health expert.
He warned that we're just now at the "beginning" of a tidal wave of "brain and mental health problems in young people."
He continued, "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."
He said loneliness, in fact, was a problem across America even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
But he said those developments – isolation orders, shutdown demands, and such, made it "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," CBN confirmed.
"So it's back to church. 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," he explained.
The comments followed recent concerns expressed by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy who said loneliness is on par with smoking and obesity as a threat to Americans.
"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.
The report explained Murthy has released a new Surgeon General Advisory that focuses on loneliness, isolation, and such.
"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," the report revealed.
