New Study Says That Loneliness Really Can Kill You

It's no secret that loneliness has never been a good thing. But, a new study indicates that the problems it can cause may be even more serious than we thought.

I saw this story on C|Net about how loneliness can affect your mind and body. It was based off of an insurance survey over the past couple of years that revealed that 54% of people reported feeling lonely.

The physical repercussions of loneliness could lead to dying 26% sooner than you normally would based off a study by The Lancet. It states:

Imagine a condition that makes a person irritable, depressed, and self-centred, and is associated with a 26% increase in the risk of premature mortality.

The problem of loneliness has been complicated in 2020 with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic along with racial and cultural strife in our country. Quarantines are difficult enough for individuals who are a part of a family unit, but what about those that live alone? The lock-downs have caused those people to be isolated more than ever this year.

What can be done about it? The problem is serious enough that even NASA has gotten involved in studies due to astronauts facing these challenges when in space.

It's a sad fact that many who feel lonely may tend to withdraw even more and not reach out for help. It's a vicious cycle where the lonely get lonelier.

What can be done to battle this challenge in 2020 is for those who don't live alone to make sure they reach out to friends and family who are isolated. Using social media to stay in touch is great, but even better to pick up the phone and have a real conversation with them. Bustle shared a story about how video chats can be a real benefit to engage those who live alone and help them understand they're appreciated and thought of.

The point is something can be done to battle loneliness and the solution may very well start with those who aren't alone.