Loneliness - Why it concerns us all

  • Causes, consequences, solutions: What we really know about loneliness.
  • Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann is a leading psychologist and renowned loneliness researcher.
  • Urgent social relevance: The WHO estimates that 871,000 deaths per year worldwide are caused by loneliness.

When does loneliness become dangerous?

Our living conditions have changed dramatically: more and more people are living alone, and social media and digital contacts are becoming increasingly important. But are we really lonelier today - or are we just talking about it more?

Psychology professor Maike Luhmann has been researching loneliness for over ten years. In this book, she summarizes the current state of scientific knowledge in an accessible way. She sheds light on what makes us lonelier, when it becomes dangerous, and what we need to protect ourselves and others from chronic loneliness. A guide to one of the major issues of our time.

Are we lonelier today than ever before – or are we just finally talking about it more? When do our modern living conditions make us lonely, and when do they actually protect us from it?

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  • Publisher: S. FISCHER
  • Release: 25.03.2026
  • ISBN: 978-3-10-397718-9
  • 336 Pages
  • Author: Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann
Buchcover von Loneliness - Why it concerns us all: Warum sie uns alle betrifft
Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann Loneliness - Why it concerns us all
Portrait von Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann
© Tim Kramer
Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann

Prof. Dr. Maike Luhmann , born in 1981, is a Professor of Psychological Methodology at Ruhr-Universität Bochum and has made a name for herself with numerous publications on the topic of loneliness. Previously, she researched and taught at the University of Cologne, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the Free University of Berlin. As part of the Competence Network on Loneliness, she advises the German Government on its strategy to combat loneliness. She lives in Bochum.