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When a small-town clinic in England started prescribing human connection to its lonely patients, rates of chats over coffee increased—and hospital visits fell.

"Studies show that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking or obesity. People who are lonely are at higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia. 

"So what if a doctor could prescribe social connection? What if the entire community was treated as part of the health care system, and if social connection and health were treated as though they went hand in hand?

"In one small town—Frome, England—they are. And they have the data to prove it pays off."

Article: Treating Loneliness as a Medical Condition