The Lonely American Just Got a Bit Lonelier : “A recent study by sociologists at Duke and the University of Arizona found that, on average, most adults only have two people they can talk to about the most important subjects in their lives — serious health problems, for example, or issues like who will care for their children should they die. And about one-quarter have no close confidants at all.

‘The kinds of connections we studied are the kinds of people you call on for social support, for real concrete help when you need it,’ said Lynn Smith-Lovin, a sociologist at Duke and an author of the study, which analyzed responses in interviews that mirrored a survey from 1985. ‘These are the tightest inner circle.'” (New York Times )