“Codependence.” Whether you know it as the mental health buzzword of the past decade or are not familiar with it at all, it’s likely that several people you will be close to throughout your lifetime will struggle with it.

How high? Well, according to one recent study, a lack of social connection carries health risks similar to what you see when you smoke 15 cigarettes a day. The same study found that isolation is likely twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity (Cost, 2021).