Why you should care we’re getting lonelier
Chronic feelings of loneliness double the likelihood of premature deaths as reported by research completed with a public nursing project. Research suggests that the lonely are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline and a quicker progression of Alzheimer’s.
Quantifying the health implications of loneliness
There has been an increase in efforts to quantify the impact of loneliness. Results from a study completed in Denmark, prove that the scientific and economic consequences are undeniable.
Research also suggests that lonely are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline and a quicker progression of Alzheimer’s.
Why is loneliness so devastating?
Although researchers and completed studies typically agree that loneliness has negative implications on our health, they tend to be somewhat divided on the theories of how. Some of the theories on why loneliness may lead to ill health include:
Psychological
Characterized by personality traits that impede on someone’s ability to interact socially in a skillful way, or can contribute to unhealthy thought patterns. For example depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem to name a few.
Behaviour
The chronic lonely are more likely to slide into unhealthy habits, possibly due to a lack of encouragement from social connections. They are also more prone to eating disorders, excessive drinking, smoking, and drug abuse.
Biological
Social support can moderate environmental and genetic vulnerabilities. For example, stress, which can impede sleep. In the long run, these can be very harmful to the body.
Other
Could it possibly be the other way round — that sick people are more likely to be lonely?
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A study by the Economist and the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), an American non-profit group, found that 60% of people who reported feeling lonely blamed specific causes. With examples including both poor mental and physical health.²
In other words, this might suggest that the relationship runs both ways — ill health can lead to loneliness as well.
Is it possible to substitute human connection?
As the design of technology and interfaces improve, it may be able to do more to substitute human relationships. In the meantime, services that offer human contact to the lonely are more likely to catch on thrive.
In Japan, there are agencies that will rent you a family, a partner, funeral mourners, or a companion to watch TV with.
A bottom-up approach — The long, but sustainable, way forward
At an individual level, the most compelling aspect of the loneliness epidemic is how preventable it is. Because a big part of the problem is a lack of awareness, both for lonely people and for those around them. How many times have you approached a friend or loved one to discuss your concerns about your or their loneliness?
The Mon Tonton community is here for you 👈
At Mon Tonton we’re on an ambitious mission to reduce loneliness and isolation. We want to improve our community’s wellbeing by creating awareness and connecting individuals.
One of the reasons we started Mon Tonton was to build a community that would support and learn from each other.
Originally published at montonton.com on May 6, 2019.
