As the holiday season approaches its zenith in December 2025, a growing body of research reveals a troubling paradox: while the world is awash in images of festive gatherings and familial joy, millions of people are grappling with rising loneliness and a pervasive sense of insecurity. This year, new global and U.S. studies highlight how economic pressures, societal division, and the digital age are reshaping human connection—sometimes for the worse.
According to the 2025 Social Connections and Loneliness Report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as many as 14 percent of people in member countries say they feel lonely most or all of the time. In the United States, the American Psychological Association’s 2025 “Stress in America” report found that about half of adults experience symptoms tied to loneliness, such as emotional disconnection and social isolation. These numbers are not just statistics—they reflect a profound shift in the social fabric, one that clinicians and community leaders are racing to address.
“No matter the part of the world, holidays come with a lot of ‘shoulds’ and unrealistic expectations of happiness and connection,” Dr. Hannah Nearney, a clinical psychiatrist and medical director at Flow Neuroscience, told reporters. “For people already dealing with strained relationships, distance from family, or loss, those pressures don’t disappear during the holidays—they often become more intense.”
In the U.S. alone, an estimated 14 million people are expected to spend Christmas Day alone this year, with nearly half citing family conflict or geographic separation as the reason, according to AMFM, a nonprofit mental health group. The OECD report further notes that face-to-face interaction with friends and family has steadily declined over the last decade—a trend hastened by economic pressures, the rise of remote work, and changing household structures.
Economic stress looms large over this landscape of loneliness. The OECD found that people with low incomes, the unemployed, and those facing housing instability are nearly twice as likely to report frequent loneliness. For many low-income Americans, the holidays don’t just bring emotional strain—they amplify financial anxiety. “Stress, especially financial stress, places the brain into survival mode,” Dr. Nearney explained. “When that happens, emotional regulation becomes harder, social cues feel more threatening, and small disconnections can feel much larger.”
Nowhere is this more evident than in urban centers like Chicago. Public health officials and community organizations there have flagged social isolation as a worsening concern, especially on the city’s South and West Sides. Seniors, people living alone, and residents experiencing poverty are particularly vulnerable. While pandemic-era restrictions have eased, the city’s senior centers, libraries, and community programs continue to operate with reduced hours or limited capacity. For older adults—many of whom live alone after the loss of a spouse or have children living far away—winter weather and limited mobility further restrict opportunities for social connection.
Chicago is also home to a large number of formerly incarcerated individuals reentering society around the holiday season. For these returning citizens, the holidays can magnify feelings of isolation, as they often face strained family relationships, housing insecurity, unemployment, and the stigma of a criminal record. Reentry organizations report that access to social services is often limited during this period, and family tensions can be heightened, leaving many disconnected from the traditional warmth of holiday gatherings.
The situation is even more complex for Black Americans, who experience holiday loneliness through the lens of racial discrimination, economic inequality, and persistent disparities in health, housing, and incarceration. Chronic exposure to discrimination, clinicians say, increases stress levels and impairs emotional regulation, making social engagement even harder. In places like Chicago—where segregation and concentrated poverty endure—these pressures are acute. Many Black families juggle multigenerational caregiving or have disrupted family networks due to incarceration or economic displacement. “Holiday music, movies, and traditions repeatedly trigger ideas about family and togetherness,” said Dr. Kultar Singh Garcha, chief medical officer at Flow Neuroscience. “When someone is grieving, estranged, or physically distant from loved ones, those messages can bring disappointment, anger, and loneliness to the surface.”
Adding another layer to the challenge, the Midwest’s harsh winter weather—characterized by snow, frigid temperatures, and limited daylight—further discourages social outings, especially for seniors and those without reliable transportation. Rising heating and utility costs pile on additional financial stress, forcing some to choose between basic needs and social participation.
But loneliness and isolation are not just seasonal or regional problems; they are part of a broader, more persistent shift in how Americans feel about their safety and place in society. The Chapman University Survey of American Fears found that nearly 70 percent of Americans fear corrupt government officials, while more than half worry about cyber-terrorism and the possibility of another world war. These anxieties persist even as the actual murder rate has dropped by 15 percent in 2024, with further declines in early 2025, according to Chapman University. Yet, perceptions of insecurity are stubbornly high, a phenomenon echoed by Gallup polls showing less than half of Americans believe national crime is rising—a historic low since 2001—despite widespread unease.
A PBS report underscored a worrying trend: 30 percent of Americans now believe violence may be necessary to “get the country back on track,” a figure that has risen in recent years. The American Psychological Association’s 2025 survey found that over six in ten adults feel stressed by societal division, with 54 percent reporting isolation and 69 percent saying they need more emotional support—up from 65 percent the previous year. A Gallup poll estimates that 52 million Americans still struggle with loneliness, a lingering effect of the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted social networks and routines. Globally, social isolation has increased since the pandemic, and the U.S. is no exception; one in four adults were already isolated before 2019, and rates have not fully recovered, according to JAMA via the National Library of Medicine.
Technology, once seen as a bridge to connection, is now viewed by many as a barrier. A 2025 Pew Research survey found that half of Americans believe artificial intelligence erodes the ability to form meaningful relationships, with young adults under 30 the most pessimistic at 58 percent. Research published in Organizational Psychology Review suggests that AI’s simulated emotions feel less genuine, reducing the depth of relationships. Meanwhile, social media amplifies fear and anxiety: a 2025 Nature study found that negative comments on posts increase anxiety by 37 percent, especially among younger users, while doomscrolling—endless consumption of bad news—exacerbates depression and anxiety, as reported by Stanford and others. Nearly all therapists (99.6 percent) surveyed by GrowTherapy agreed that news consumption can negatively impact mental health.
So, what can be done? Experts recommend practical, evidence-based strategies to combat both loneliness and fear. Limit news consumption to 15 minutes a day and turn off notifications to avoid overload. Schedule tech-free periods, especially during meals, and seek out balanced news sources. Taking action—whether by joining advocacy groups or volunteering—can foster connection and a sense of purpose. Prioritizing self-care, such as exercise, hobbies, and outdoor time, also helps counter isolation. Clinicians emphasize that loneliness is a public health issue, not a personal failing, and that nurturing existing relationships, setting boundaries, and seeking professional support can all make a difference.
As the data makes clear, the challenges of loneliness and fear are intertwined with broader social, economic, and technological changes. By choosing connection, community, and mindful engagement, Americans can begin to reclaim a sense of agency and hope—even in the darkest days of winter.
