The Surgeon General of the United States calls Loneliness a major public health crisis on a par with smoking and obesity. It one of the most serious mental health issues we have in this country.

In a recent opinion in the New York Times, the writer David French, a lifelong conservative, writes somewhat provocatively about what he calls the loneliness epidemic. While much of his article is full of cold realities, he ends his piece with a sense of optimism. He is positive there is a cure. "Make a New Friend"!

It is that simple, he says. But there is a catch. It is also difficult. It requires us to do something, be proactive, get out of our comfort zone.

So, in this podcast, I talk about the ways in which each of us can combat feeling of loneliness, how we can make new friends, and how we can become more interactive with people.

There are lots of ways available. Within a half hour, I came up with close to twenty-five ideas.

You can listen and agree with me. Or you can come up with your own thoughts. But what a great thing to do - come up with ways to meet a new friend! There is a cure for loneliness! It is right here for the taking!