- Rita Moreno, 91, says she makes friends at the supermarket so she won't feel lonely.
- The "West Side Story" actor told People about her struggles with loneliness after moving into a new home.
Rita Moreno says she combats loneliness by making friends at the supermarket.
The 91-year-old actor told People that she felt sad and isolated after moving into a new condo. Even her daughter noticed a change in her demeanor and confronted her about it, she said.
"I remember thinking, 'I can't go on like this.' I'm in the most beautiful apartment in the world as far as I'm concerned, and this is happening. Why is this happening?" Moreno said.
The "West Side Story" actor said she used her years of therapy to reflect on her emotional state and finally realized it was because she was far away from her friends and family.
"So when we make plans to see each other, we have to make plans, they can't just kind of drop by," Moreno said. "I was really lonely."
Moreno added that she also realized she didn't know how to make new friends because she "never had to seek people's company," per People.
"One day I thought, 'This is ridiculous. I have to meet some people,'" Moreno said. That very day, at the supermarket, she ran into a lady that she'd seen around before, she told People.
"She had this big smile on her face, and she recognized me, obviously, and we started to talk. I said to her, 'Would you like to have lunch with me?'" Moreno said.
The lady ended up accepting Moreno's invite, per People.
"She sat down and she said, 'Do you always pick people up like this in the market?'" Moreno said, recounting their conversation. "I said, 'No, but you always have struck me as such a lovely person. Since I'm new here and I don't know anybody, I thought I'd take a dip.'"
The two have since become friends, Moreno told People.
In May, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a statement drawing attention to the "epidemic of loneliness and isolation" in the country.
"Disconnection fundamentally affects our mental, physical, and societal health," the statement read. "In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily."
Experts suggest spending time in nature, taking a break from social media, or volunteering as ways for people to feel less lonely while being alone.