Health Report Is loneliness a silent killer?
Could social isolation raise our risk of premature death? And if so, what can we do about it? Woman investigates
It’s difficult to imagine that in an island of over 65 million people that anyone could be lonely. But social isolation is an increasing problem in the UK, especially as we get older. In fact, Prime minister Theresa may considers it important enough to have appointed a minister for loneliness to tackle this growing issue.
In the UK, 2.47 million people aged 45-64 live alone* and more than 9 million are thought to be suffering from chronic loneliness. These gloomy statistics are not only upsetting, they’re also a cause for concern, as loneliness is now thought to raise the chance of premature death by a staggering 50%, according to a new study by University College London and the University of Helsinki.
What is loneliness?
Being alone is not the same as being lonely, mental health charity Mind points out. We can feel isolated, even when we’re surrounded by people. ‘Loneliness is a state of mind that causes people to feel empty, alone and unwanted. Some people enjoy their own company and are quite happy to spend time by themselves, while others have lots of social contact, yet feel lonely, disconnected and struggle to form connections with people,’ explains mind coach and counsellor Anna Williamson. ‘If you feel a bit blank, empty or are finding it difficult to enjoy other people’s company, this could be a sign you’re experiencing loneliness.’ Women are more likely to experience isolation than men, with divorce, being widowed and empty nest syndrome increasing our chances.
What are the health risks?
In short, loneliness can kill. ‘It can negatively impact our physical health by raising the levels of stress hormones, increasing the risk of heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and dementia,’ explains Anna. It’s proven to be worse for health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day.** The British and Finnish study, which was based on 480,000 health records, revealed the extent of the problem: loneliness can raise the risk of a heart attack by more than 40% and a stroke by 39%.
‘Having few social contacts was a risk factor for early death, particularly among those with pre-existing cardiovascular
‘you can be alone but not lonely’
disease,’ says the University of Helsinki’s Christian Hakulinen, who led the study. ‘Those who are socially isolated might also have a worse prognosis after a heart attack or stroke,’ he adds.
As well as raising the levels of stress hormones, isolation can increase inflammation, disrupt sleep, create abnormal immune responses and accelerate cognitive decline.
‘Daily activities, such as bathing, personal hygiene and preparing meals also tend to slide, and this will have a very visible and physical impact on the body,’ explains Anna.
The researchers also revealed that individuals who lacked companionship had higher rates of chronic diseases and showed more symptoms of poor mental health.
‘Loneliness is linked to feelings of low mood and self-esteem, depression and anxiety,’ explains Anna.
‘Lack of other human interaction, physical and verbal contact and engagement can exacerbate all these feelings, and the longer it continues, the harder it can be to find a way out.’
What’s more, a study by the University of Chicago found that the presence of loneliness was an ‘excellent predictor’ of depression within five years and can also be a major cause of suicide.
‘Isolation affects Wellbeing’