As the US faces a loneliness epidemic, people who experienced social life abroad say they can see why

• The US is facing a loneliness epidemic, and people have thoughts.
• On TikTok, people are comparing American attitudes to socializing with their experiences abroad.

Loneliness has become a big concern in post-pandemic America, and on TikTok people think US attitudes towards socializing are part of the reason why.

Last May, US surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy referred to the problem as an "epidemic of loneliness and isolation."

Although loneliness is a worldwide concern, on social media the narrative has formed that cultures outside the US are better at fostering connections that can keep it at bay.

Many such posts come in the form of personal stories, so they are difficult to verify, but they tend to receive many comments expressing agreement and sharing further examples of people feeling more socially connected in other countries.

Posts about social life in the US's neighboring country of Mexico are particularly common.

In May, a user who goes by Anna shared that in the US, she's noticed people often decline her requests to meet up because they already have plans with someone else.

She compared this to her experience in Mexico, saying that she always felt welcome at social gatherings regardless of who else was attending: "I could ask someone to hang out, and they'd be like, oh, I have my friend's friend's tutor's second cousin's wedding, but you can come if you want."

Another user said in a July post that she recently returned to the US from Mexico, and that in her experience, outdoor life there is much more active. She shared that she often socialized and chatted with local people as part of her daily routine.

In her video, the user filmed her street in the US, which appeared to be quiet and empty, and later added, "It's very stark to me right now why America has an epidemic of loneliness and depression."

While these anecdotal experiences could be influenced by pre-conceived stereotypes or the specific circumstances of a person's time in one country compared to another, researchers did look into this back in 2009. According to a study from the University of Washington, Mexican people didn't think they were more sociable than Americans, but by tracking the daily interactions of a small sample of students, they found that the Mexican participants spent more time talking in person to groups of people than the Americans did.

Other countries are also being highlighted on TikTok for their seemingly superior approach to socializing.

In December, a user who said she had lived in the US for around eight years said loneliness was one of her biggest culture shocks.

"You guys are all in your own bubble, like in your head or in your house all the time," she said of her experience in the US. "In Colombia, we live, we engage with other people all the time."

Another user said in a May TikTok post that when she traveled to St. Lucia, in the Caribbean, local people came to the rescue when her mom drove their car into a ditch by accident. She speculated that this would never happen in the US, citing a "culture of hyper-individualism" as the cause.

There are different theories about the causes of loneliness, such as more people working remotely, a reliance on technology over human interaction, a lack of "third places" to socialize, and people struggling to build and maintain friendships as adults.

Whatever the cause, the kind of social connection TikTokers seem to have experienced abroad could be the "medicine" for loneliness, and even reduce physical health risks, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.