This is based on new research from a single study and has not been adopted anywhere as an actual treatment for loneliness. But seeing how big of a problem the loneliness epidemic is, and how easy it is to try this, I figured that I would share it.

The idea is to just talk to strangers. About anything. And for no particular reason. It could be as small as saying something about the weather to a cashier in the checkout line.

While this might sound stupid or simple, there's a little more to it than you might think.

The goal has nothing to do with making new friends or learning how to socialize or anything like that. While that certainly could happen, the theory (or hypothesis) is more along the lines of activating neural circuitry that your brain uses when interacting with people. By activating those parts of the brain, regardless of who it's with, it works as a treatment in and of itself for some of the symptoms of loneliness.

Here's some info about the research if you're interested:

https://www.psypost.org/2022/12/psychology-researchers-find-that-a-simple-talking-to-strangers-intervention-is-surprisingly-effective-64561

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103122000750