Health
‘No contact’ on the rise: Nearly 2 in 5 Americans cut ties with loved ones
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More Americans are choosing to walk away from difficult relationships instead of working through them, a new survey has revealed.
Nearly two in five Americans — 38% — say they have gone “no contact” with a friend or family member in the past year, according to a survey of 2,000 adults conducted in March by Talker Research for the therapy platform Talkspace.
“These results suggest that avoiding relationship challenges is becoming more common,” Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi, chief medical officer at Talkspace, said in a statement.
“But that approach can come with its own risks, making it harder to sustain meaningful connections over time and leading to more loneliness.”
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Younger Americans were far more likely than older generations to report cutting someone off. The survey found that 60% of Gen Z respondents had gone “no contact,” compared to 50% of millennials, 38% of Gen X and 20% of baby boomers.
A new survey found that about 38% of Americans have gone “no contact” with a friend or family member in the past year. (iStock)
John Puls, a Florida-based psychotherapist and adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, said he has seen a growing trend of young adults, including Gen Zers, going no contact with their parents in his practice.
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“This generation appears to have a low tolerance for otherwise poor behavior from their parents,” Puls, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “They are often conflict-avoidant, which prevents them from trying to meaningfully work through their issues with their parents.”
Their parents, meanwhile, are often unwilling to examine their role in any of the conflict within the relationship, Puls added.
“This creates a situation where neither party is willing to compromise or take ownership.”
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Thirty-six percent of overall respondents said the top reason for severing ties with someone was feeling disrespected. Nearly 30% said the relationship negatively affected their mental health or that the other person was too negative.
Younger Americans are more likely than older generations to cut off contact with loved ones, according to the survey. (iStock)
The cutoffs often appear to last. Among those who said they went “no contact” in the past year, 59% said they are still not speaking to the person, according to the survey.
The findings also suggest that “no contact” may be part of a wider retreat from uncomfortable interactions. Nearly three-quarters of respondents, 73%, said their instinct during relationship problems is to distance themselves rather than communicate and work through the issue.
Other behaviors in the poll point in the same direction. More than a third of respondents said they had blocked a friend or family member on social media in the past year, while 30% said they had removed a loved one from a group chat.
The trend may reflect a broader shift toward avoiding uncomfortable conversations instead of resolving relationship issues. (iStock)
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While the study was sponsored by a therapy platform and has not undergone peer review, experts have previously told Fox News Digital that “cutoff culture” is becoming normalized, with some arguing that media messaging, including from figures like Oprah Winfrey and the Beckhams, has helped drive the trend.
Many experts agree the tactic should be used only as a last resort.
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Puls stressed that no case of going zero contact with a family member or friend is the same, and while it is necessary in rare situations, it often comes with long-term regret and resentment.
“I always recommend my patients try ongoing family therapy, compromise and implementing boundaries,” he said.
Experts recommend trying family therapy, setting boundaries and working toward compromise before resorting to cutting off contact. (iStock)
Nari Jeter, a Florida-based licensed marriage and family therapist, agreed.
“Some people think that once you go no-contact, you’ll immediately feel peace. That’s usually not the case,” she said.
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“This is often a heart-wrenching and even agonizing process,” Jeter, who was not involved in the research, added.
But the move doesn’t have to be forever, she noted: “No contact can become fertile ground for future reconciliation.”
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The latest COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans.
New research confirmed a small reduction in COVID-related cardiovascular events, or COVID-19-associated MACE, due to the vaccine.
MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) is a composite measure of serious heart-related outcomes. It typically includes cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, and may also include hospitalization for heart failure.
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Using health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the researchers compared two groups of veterans — one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day (nearly 350,000 people) and another group that received only the flu vaccine (nearly 700,000 people).
For people older than 75, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-associated MACE was 50.7%. (iStock)
Out of more than one million veterans studied, the average age was about 70 and 92% were male, according to a press release.
Within about eight months, the results showed that those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.
The COVID vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 38.5% lower risk of heart attack and 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers stated. The result for stroke was not statistically significant.
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The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions. In people over 75, the vaccine was 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE.
As the study was observational, it could not prove cause and effect between the COVID-19 vaccine and lower risk of cardiovascular events, but only highlighted an association.
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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, called these results “not overall surprising” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
After eight months, those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events. (iStock)
“This result is consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines against infectious diseases [in] preventing cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiovascular cause of death or hospitalizations,” he said.
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events and can cause further complications, according to the doctor.
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“This can lead to a higher risk of blood clotting, but can also make arterial plaques susceptible to rupture, which then leads to clot formation to heal a ruptured plaque,” he said. “This clotting can cause a near-total or complete occlusion of an artery, leading to these cardiovascular events.”
“Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk.”
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 can increase the risk of cardiovascular events, the study suggests. (iStock)
Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to Hirsch, who was not involved in the research.
This could be due to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants, as well as immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people, he noted. There has also been a decline in COVID testing, making it more difficult to link cardiovascular events to the virus.
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“The bottom line [is] that there is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations, and people should be encouraged to discuss these with their healthcare team annually,” Hirsch advised.
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“This is an observational trial and there can always be some confounding after necessary statistical adjustments and other potential benefits or harms, including adverse effects from vaccines that were not investigated in this study,” he added.
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A former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star is speaking out about a fresh wave of health issues.
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023.
At the time, the reality star shared that she believed she had been infected with a parasite during a trip to Morocco, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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After the initial diagnosis, she suspected she contracted a parasite in Morocco and said she could feel it moving within her face.
Brandi Glanville attends the grand opening of Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Clinic West Hollywood in West Hollywood, Calif., on April 25, 2024. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Glanville was first diagnosed with stress-induced angioedema, a sudden swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and mucous membranes, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Angioedema “is a reaction similar to hives that affects deeper layers of the skin. It can appear with hives or alone,” Mayo Clinic states.
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Most recently, in a June 18 episode of her podcast “Brandi Glanville Unfiltered,” Glanville revealed that doctors discovered a “benign tumor” in one of her facial lymph nodes.
The reality star, who has previously speculated that a parasite may be contributing to her facial symptoms, said the finding could help explain the swelling and fluid buildup she has experienced and noted that she has had a lump in her face for “years.”
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023. (Mega/GC Images)
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, guys. I thought I was fixed, and then it happened again and now it’s sinking in again,” Glanville said in another June podcast.
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“It could be why the fluid is going around my face and why I’m having a hard time,” she added.
While benign tumors of the face have been known to arise from fat tissue, blood vessels, skin structures, salivary glands or lymphatic tissue, Glanville has not publicly disclosed the specific type of diagnosis she received.
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Prior to learning of the tumor, Glanville said she saw dozens of doctors and spent over $100,000 trying to pinpoint the source of the issue.
Brandi Glanville shares images of painful facial burns caused by Nair hair removal cream in a viral TikTok video. (Brandi Glanville/TikTok)
The reality star emphasized that the tumor is “not cancerous.”
“I haven’t had a face lift yet!” she added.
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Glanville also said she suspected her ruptured breast implants could have played a role in her health issues, claiming the leaking silicone had clogged her lymph nodes.
Fox News Digital reached out to Glanville for comment.
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