Loneliness and social isolation
There are many obvious ways in which your lifestyle affects your physical, mental and emotional health, such as eating habits, sleep, exercise, physical or psychological stress, and many more. Many studies from decades ago focused on these aspects explicitly, but those that have been linked to the study of the relationship between yin loneliness and physical and mental health may be less clear despite it being one of the most prevalent lifestyles among individuals in the twenty-first century.
.webp)
To begin with, we must differentiate between two different types of unity; Subjective or personal loneliness, which is usually in the form of an emotion or a feeling of loneliness even if you are not alone, that is, you may feel it even if you are among your family members, or among a group of friends and acquaintances. On the other hand, there is "objective" unity, which refers to a physical state of loneliness, often in the form of explicit social isolation.
In other words, loneliness may be a personal and subjective feeling of the gap between an individual's level of desire to communicate and socialize with others and his or her actual level of contact with them. That is, it is the resulting difference between the perceived quality of a person's relationships with those around him and his actual relationships.
Social isolation is an objective measure of the number or percentage of contacts people have. Thus, the issue here is related to the quantity of relationships and not their type, as some may choose to have a few relationships and contacts without any problem. And when they feel socially isolated, they can overcome it relatively quickly by increasing relationships and the number of people they can connect with.
There are two types of loneliness: subjective, which is usually in the form of an emotion or feeling of loneliness even if you are not alone, and objective loneliness, which is often in the form of explicit social isolation.
Loneliness and social isolation are two different but at the same time related to each other. Social isolation can lead to loneliness and vice versa. Or they may develop feelings of both at the same time. Undoubtedly, both of them also share many factors that affect the psychological, physical and mental health of individuals that can develop over time into serious problems.
For example, one study found that individuals who experience loneliness or social isolation are at risk of early death due to the many psychological, behavioral, and biological effects that social isolation and loneliness lead to deteriorating health and thus accelerating death. The study, which included nearly 3.4 million participants, found that both feelings can increase the risk of premature death by 30%, which is greater than the risk of obesity, lack of physical activity and air pollution.
An 80-year study.. Good relationships are what keep us alive..
In one of the rarest and most intriguing studies, a group of Harvard researchers tracked the lives of 724 men over an uninterrupted 80-year period, from adolescence to old age, to find out what keeps people happy and healthy. The most obvious of their findings was that the quality of relationships was the first predictor of physical health and longevity. Good relationships make us happier and healthier.
People who are well connected to their family, friends, and community have been shown to be happier and physically healthier, and thus live longer lives than those who struggle with loneliness and social isolation, who typically begin experiencing health problems in middle age, or perhaps earlier. In a recent part of the study, researchers found that women who feel securely connected to their partners are less depressed and happier, and also have better memory functions than women who have frequent marital conflicts or problems.
Loneliness increases your stress and leads to chronic diseases:
You probably know that your body produces more cortisol when you're stressed or stressed, right? So you should also know that high cortisol levels at that time become lower when you communicate with someone or mingle with those around you. For this reason, mental and mental health experts often advise that talking about problems and conflicts with a friend or colleague reduces the excess of cortisol secreted, which leads to more psychological and physical comfort.
One study found that lonely people usually produce higher levels of cortisol, especially in the early morning, which is why you often see them spend more time in bed before getting up, or may suffer from insomnia and frequent awakenings during the night hours, or have a lower quality of sleep generally. With regard to the hormone cortisol as well, the increase in its secretion may lead to inflammation and difficulty in recovering from diseases, as the immune system enters a "shock" when cortisol floods the body, making it more vulnerable to harm and inflammation.
Alternatively, loneliness can also lead to many diseases such as cancer, risk of heart disease, stress, type 2 diabetes and dementia, especially in those who have been suffering from long-term loneliness.
Marriage reduces the risk of unhealthy behaviors and lowers death rates compared to those who are lonely or who spend an extended period of their lives without a partner or spouse
A study in this field found that social support may improve the neurochemical response that provides flexibility to deal with stress and stress in daily life. The study's findings also showed that social support may reduce environmental and genetic sensitivity to stress and confer resistance to stress. Furthermore, loneliness may lead to higher levels of imagined or perceived stress and tension, even during times of relaxation and rest.
Another study suggests that marriage, for example, is strongly associated with a lower likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors such as smoking, drug use and excessive drinking. It also found that married couples have lower mortality rates, which is often attributed to sticking to healthier habits compared to those who are single or spend a long period of their lives without a partner or spouse.
Your genes may transmit loneliness:
It seems strange at first glance, but many recent studies have found that loneliness, with its complex feelings and its many dependencies, can change our genes. According to University of Chicago social psychologist John Cacioppo, loneliness is more dangerous than most people think, as it goes beyond signs of depression, anxiety and stress. We often think of loneliness only because of our environment and life experiences, but some studies have shown that genes can also play a role in how we feel. This may answer our question of why two different people feel completely different despite being exposed to the same environment and going through the same experience.
There are many other risks and symptoms that may result from our feeling of loneliness or social isolation, including eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and overeating. As such, loneliness can be a critical factor in gaining or losing weight. It may also lead to dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and even increase your risk of mild illnesses such as colds and flu. Another study revealed that lonely people's immune system focuses on fighting bacteria rather than viruses, which means that lonely people are more likely to get viral infections.
In sum, social communication helped humans to continue and survive, and they sought it throughout history. Therefore, its absence poses a danger and threat to our physical, psychological and mental health. Relationships and friendships exist to protect us from exposure to risky behaviors or to support us if we are exposed to them.