The effects of loneliness on mental and physical health

Loneliness has been linked to a variety of physical and mental health issues, from hypertension and strokes to anxiety, depression, insomnia and even dementia. By understanding the dangers of loneliness, you can take steps to alleviate it in your life before it becomes an issue that requires serious medical attention. Here are just some of the ways loneliness can negatively impact your health.

Loneliness is everywhere

More than 40 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic loneliness, which has been linked to a wide range of mental and physical health problems. The sheer magnitude of its prevalence makes it a serious public-health issue: Loneliness is more predictive than smoking, alcohol consumption or exercise for overall mortality, according to one study.

Research also suggests that people who feel lonely are at an increased risk for developing dementia in later years. Plus, loneliness isn’t simply feeling like you don’t have someone to talk to; it’s a distinct physiological state associated with changes in brain chemistry, particularly related to stress hormones like cortisol. It’s as if loneliness sends out an alert: Danger! Enter fight-or-flight mode!

Loneliness can lead to depression

A 2016 meta-analysis suggested that persistent feelings of loneliness could increase your risk for major depressive disorder by 23 percent. Another study found a link between chronic feelings of social isolation and depression in adults aged 71 and older. And even feeling lonely once in a while can lead to feelings of sadness; researchers at Brigham Young University found that even relatively low levels of social isolation contributed to decreased emotional well-being.

That said, it’s important to note that feeling lonely or socially isolated doesn’t necessarily mean you are experiencing these negative emotions. For example, while one survey estimated that over 20 million Americans experience chronic loneliness, only six million people have a diagnosed mental illness such as depression or an anxiety disorder linked with their condition.

How does being lonely affect our body?

Being around other people has an immediate effect on our bodies. Whether we’re laughing, crying, dancing or cheering, social interaction is a physically demanding activity so much so that neuroscientists call it social allostasis. In other words, just being in a group is enough to cause our bodies to push harder, pump faster and increase metabolism by as much as 30 percent.

If you’re lonely, however and especially if you feel alone due to distance from loved ones, your body can react in ways you never imagined. Studies show that even short periods of isolation can activate your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) the same adrenaline-activating mechanism activated during high-pressure situations like public speaking or fight or flight.

The truth about loneliness

Many people consider loneliness to be one of the most serious health issues we confront. Why? Here are the details.

Health dangers
Loneliness and the elderly
People of all ages and loneliness
Loneliness and Gender
Families and loneliness
People with disabilities and loneliness

Detecting and Combating Loneliness

Whether or whether a person lives in solitude, a loss of social interaction can be painful. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, a regularly used measure of loneliness, questions respondents about a variety of sensations or deficiencies of connection, including how frequently they:

They believe they are lonely.

feel “in tune” with their surroundings

believe they have someone to whom they may rely

Given the possible health repercussions for those who have few or no supportive social relationships, widespread loneliness offers a significant societal concern. But it also highlights the need for more human contact and interaction.

I have relatives and friends. Why am I still feeling so lonely?

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Loneliness is proportional to the quality of one’s relationships as it is to the quantity of contacts. And it isn’t just caused by heartbreak or loneliness. Loneliness can stem from a lack of honesty in relationships. Loneliness can be triggered by the loss of a cherished animal friend or the absence of a calm presence in the home (even if one has lots of social contacts in the wider world).

Why is it so difficult to find friendship when one is lonely?

There is evidence that lonely people have a negative bias when appraising social contacts. Lonely people detect symptoms of possible rejection faster than others, so they may be better off avoiding it and protecting themselves. People who are lonely must be conscious of this tendency in order to overcome it when seeking friendship.

What is the distinction between loneliness and solitude?

Solitude, or time spent alone, is not inherently negative and can be beneficial in other ways. According to research, the reasons why young people choose to be alone are important—they may do so to relax, create, or ponder, rather than to avoid other people.

What concrete efforts can I take to make myself feel less lonely?

According to loneliness researcher John Cacioppo, just as you can begin an exercise plan to acquire strength and improve your health, you can combat loneliness by little steps that build emotional strength and resilience.
He has developed strategies for persons who are especially vulnerable to chronic loneliness, such as soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. They could be beneficial to anyone.

Loneliness, Health, and Happiness

Loneliness has been related to a number of negative outcomes. Loneliness is a risk factor for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and arthritis, among other ailments, in addition to its link with depressive symptoms and other types of mental illness. According to study, lonely persons are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic loneliness can cause negative physiological responses such as increased stress hormone production, sleep disruption, and reduced immunity.

Is it possible to die of loneliness?

While a person cannot die merely because they are lonely, research showing that lonely persons have higher rates of mortality and certain diseases supports the hypothesis that chronic loneliness can play a role in raising the risk of dying over time.

Which age groups are the most lonely?
Loneliness and isolation affect people of all ages, but adolescents and the elderly may be more vulnerable.

Is there a loneliness epidemic in the United States these days?

In 2010, around 40% of Americans reported feeling lonely on a regular basis, and other studies confirm that people experience loneliness at least some of the time. Some have declared a “epidemic” of reported loneliness, while it is unclear whether loneliness is increasing in younger generations.

Loneliness in different countries

https://stayinghealthy360.com/category/health-and-fitness/

Loneliness is not a constant state, it can vary in intensity over time. The study authors developed a multi-dimensional questionnaire to examine how often participants experienced or felt each of three kinds of social isolation: lacking companionship, meaningful interaction and feeling left out or isolated by others. This was done with two questions for each type: How often do you feel or experience (the problem)? and To what extent do you feel that way? On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very often or very much, respondents selected one answer indicating how frequently they experienced or felt lonely.