Feeling lonely? It’s all in your genes

MOST of us know what it feels like to be lonely – now scientists know why. A study by Dutch and American researchers shows it is in our genes. They found that much of our ability to feel lonely is inherited, explaining why some feel more lonely than others.

Until now, it was thought that loneliness was simply caused by shyness, poor social skills and difficulty in forming friendships.

Now, it appears that while these factors still play a role, the root cause can be traced back to prehistoric times. It is thought that in times of famine, some hunter- gatherers may have deliberately shut themselves off from their friends and family to prevent them from having to share valuable supplies of food.

Those able to cope best would have been most likely to survive and have children.

The study, published in the journal Behaviour Genetics, followed the progress of more than 4,000 sets of Dutch twins – both identical and fraternal – over 12 years. The extent of the twins’ loneliness was measured by getting them to rate their reaction to a series of statements.

Half of the identical twins scored similarly on the loneliness scale, as did a quarter of the identical twins – implying the trait is at least partly inherited.

Further analysis showed our genes account for up to half of our feelings of loneliness. The researchers, from Amsterdam’s Vrije University and the University of Chicago, also found that women tend to suffer from loneliness more than men.