 of illnesses that are associated with loneliness, your risk of premature death or dying early is right around smoking a little bit less than a pack of cigarettes a day. Patel recommends online support groups. Talk to strangers, practice self-care, or start a hobby. Just focus on connections, even if it's one person a day. Sarah Jacobs, WTOP News. Sports at 25 and 55, brought to you by Amentum. Solving what's next. Engineering a safer, smarter, cleaner world.