--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the short term if I feel loneliness…" description: "\"In the short term if I feel loneliness, it's like any other biological signals. It's like hunger or thirst. It's alerting me that something that's crit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/vivek-murthy-4508_hunger_in-the-short-term-if-i-feel-loneliness-i_2490401.jpg" --- # In the short term if I feel loneliness, it's like any… ![“In the short term if I feel loneliness, it's like any other biological signals. It's like hunger or thirst. It's alerting me that something that's critical for my survival is missing.” quote by Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/vivek-murthy-4508_hunger_in-the-short-term-if-i-feel-loneliness-i_2490401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/vivek-murthy-4508_hunger_in-the-short-term-if-i-feel-loneliness-i_2490401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/vivek-murthy-4508_hunger_in-the-short-term-if-i-feel-loneliness-i_2490401.jpg) > “In the short term if I feel loneliness, it's like any other biological signals. It's like hunger or thirst. It's alerting me that something that's critical for my survival is missing.” [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loneliness is a biological alarm signaling missing essential social connection for survival. **In simple terms:** Loneliness signals missing social need. Key Takeaway Recognize and address loneliness as a health issue. Themes mental health social connection survival biology Mood empathetic reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace - elder care - mental health counseling Key Concepts attachment theory psychological needs human behavior Questions to Reflect On - How does loneliness affect physical health? - What social structures can reduce loneliness? A Different Perspective Loneliness may have complex causes beyond simple biological signals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [“When did After start? I don't remember it starting. 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Insofar as you pacify your body, so much much will you do make your soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/love-hunger-and-thirst-for-the-sake-of-christ-insofar-as-you-pacify/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [O love, whose lordly hand Has bridled my desires, And raised my hunger and my thirst To dignity and pride, Let not the strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/o-love-whose-lordly-hand-has-bridled-my-desires-and-raised-my-hunger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men's minds are also injured by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/is-it-only-the-mouth-and-belly-which-are-injured-by-hunger-and-thirst/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Hunger, thirst, heat and cold: I had tasted them in full](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-thesiger/hunger-thirst-heat-and-cold-i-had-tasted-them-in-full/) [Wilfred Thesiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-thesiger/) > [God is waiting eagerly to respond with new strength to each little act of self-control, small disciplines of prayer, feeble searching after him. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/god-is-waiting-eagerly-to-respond-with-new-strength-to-each-little/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) > [There are really good stories that can be told in a way that makes people feel good at the end of the day, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-roumie/there-are-really-good-stories-that-can-be-told-in-a-way-that-makes/) [Jonathan Roumie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-roumie/) > [Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their diets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/blessed-are-those-who-hunger-and-thirst-for-they-are-sticking-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hunger. I'm thirst. 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It is only the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milind-soman/stress-is-a-good-thing-of-course-hunger-thirst-are-both-stresses-if/) [Milind Soman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milind-soman/) > [For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-what-is-evil-but-good-tortured-by-its-own-hunger-and-thirst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some mountaineers are proud of having done all their climbs without bivouac. How much they have missed ! And the same applies to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/some-mountaineers-are-proud-of-having-done-all-their-climbs-without/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) ## More by Vivek Murthy > [I think people often forget how powerful they are. Sometimes it just takes one voice to save a life. When we speak up we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-think-people-often-forget-how-powerful-they-are-sometimes-it-just/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [We don't do enough to help older people recognize how much they matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-don-t-do-enough-to-help-older-people-recognize-how-much-they-matter/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [When I was Surgeon General, I spent a lot of time talking to people in living rooms and town halls all across the country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-i-was-surgeon-general-i-spent-a-lot-of-time-talking-to-people-in/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [We can experience an erosion of self-esteem when we're lonely, as we come to believe that it's because we're not likable or because something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-can-experience-an-erosion-of-self-esteem-when-we-re-lonely-as-we/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Climate change poses a serious, immediate and global threat to health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/climate-change-poses-a-serious-immediate-and-global-threat-to-health/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I trained in internal medicine, and I expected most of my time would be spent on diabetes or heart disease or cancer. 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And in terms of our health, people who struggle with loneliness also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/we-know-that-chronic-loneliness-has-consequences-it-certainly/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Gun violence is a problem that this country should be addressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/gun-violence-is-a-problem-that-this-country-should-be-addressing/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [You can be surrounded by many people but still feel quite lonely if you don't have strong connections and if you feel you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/you-can-be-surrounded-by-many-people-but-still-feel-quite-lonely-if/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [When people tell you that you're less-than and that you don't matter and that you're inferior, you internalize some of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/when-people-tell-you-that-you-re-less-than-and-that-you-don-t-matter/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Service is a powerful pathway of getting out of loneliness. It takes the focus off of you and puts it onto someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/service-is-a-powerful-pathway-of-getting-out-of-loneliness-it-takes/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain and it's one that we have to treat the way we would any other chronic illness:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/addiction-is-a-chronic-disease-of-the-brain-and-it-s-one-that-we-have/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [A lot of people have misconceptions about what the surgeon general does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/a-lot-of-people-have-misconceptions-about-what-the-surgeon-general/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [I firmly believe that everybody in America needs a safe place to walk or to wheelchair roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/i-firmly-believe-that-everybody-in-america-needs-a-safe-place-to-walk/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) [Explore all 110 Vivek Murthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) ## More Hunger quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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We don't have any food. What are we going to eat?' Your stomach hurts. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mclemore/you-get-those-hunger-pains-i-am-so-hungry-we-don-t-have-any-food-what/) [Ben McLemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mclemore/) > ['The Hunger Games' takes place in Panem, a country which is part of America. It's post-apocalyptic. There's been a global war. The Panem country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/the-hunger-games-takes-place-in-panem-a-country-which-is-part-of/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [When it comes to having a central nervous system, and the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a rat is a pig is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/when-it-comes-to-having-a-central-nervous-system-and-the-ability-to/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“This, then, was hunger. This was what his mother had meant when she had said, "We'll all go hongry." 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