Is loneliness and social isolation dangerous for our health? This is revealed, at least, a scientific study. According to a certain studies people suffers from loneliness and an average of 700,000 French young people endure social vulnerability.
For some, diving into solitude can be a refuge to be with oneself, to spend time with one's inner being and to recharge oneself; Burn-out requires. For others, this loneliness can be imposed; it becomes harmful to their health and could cause dangerous diseases as soon as it becomes daily. In the United Kingdom, a ministry of solitude was created to combat social isolation. As Theresa May says, the Prime Minister: "For too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life."
By the way, according to the American Psychological Association, nearly 42.6 million adults over the age of 45 in the US suffer from chronic loneliness. According to the study, the risk of loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
This analysis was corroborated by a study that Brigham Young University conducted in 2015, involving 3 million participants, to prove that loneliness is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Similarly, in the journal PLoSMedicine, Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad, states that social relations play a preponderant role in our survival. The risks of loneliness may be comparable to those of obesity, alcoholism, sedentary lifestyle and even worse, smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Chronic loneliness can increase mortality rate
Loneliness is harmful to health and could increase the mortality rate, especially in the elderly. Thus, people who are socially isolated may suffer from a state of permanent stress and anxiety opening the way for an invasion of bacteria into the body, creating infections and becoming a source of many diseases, such as cancer or neurological diseases.
Solitude and social loneliness
Solitude when it becomes daily causes social malaise in the individual who suffers. The need to surround oneself socially becomes, then urgent, to avoid falling into depression, source of several evils. According to Nasreen Khatri, Clinical Psychologist, the most effective way to overcome loneliness is to always have the company of others. Thus, being surrounded changes the level of cortisol and stress hormones. In addition, the family encourages the maintenance of a healthy diet and regular physical activity. In addition, according to Dr. Oren Amitay, a Toronto psychologist, to overcome chronic loneliness, the best way is to find an occupation, a hobby or create a project or find the comforts of pet companionship.
How to get out?
According to Anne-Laure Martin, a psychologist and psychotherapist, once one becomes aware of the seriousness of loneliness, it is important to establish daily habits in one's life:
- Identify the origin of this loneliness in order to be able to act directly on the cause.
- To take care of oneself, one's appearance, one's activities and one's little pleasures.
- Avoid negative thoughts by privileging gratitude, constant positive memories.
- Do group activities (sport, meditation or other ...)
- To be helpful and help others.
- Sleep well: poor sleep promotes bad mood and negative emotions.