Advertisement
How loneliness affects health + tips to cope
Ah, look at all the lonely people. There’s more of us than ever before despite so many convenient ways to connect, including texting, Facebook and other social media sites.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
“Loneliness is an epidemic,” says psychologist Amy Sullivan, PsyD. “We’re the most socially connected society, yet so many people experience extreme loneliness.”
The problem of loneliness has a surprising impact; it can drill into both mental and physical health, she says.
Feeling lonely is an unpleasant experience that can also have long-term health consequences.
“We know clearly that sitting, smoking and obesity are linked to chronic disease,” Dr. Sullivan says. “But I think of loneliness as another risk factor for chronic health conditions.”
Dr. Sullivan points out that loneliness isn’t the same thing as social isolation. It’s more about how you perceive your level of connectedness to others.
“Someone who’s socially isolated and doesn’t have a lot of social contacts may not feel lonely at all, but someone else may feel lonely even when they’re surrounded by lots of people,” she says.
“When you’re experiencing loneliness, your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, go up,” she says. “Cortisol can impair cognitive performance, compromise the immune system, and increase your risk for vascular problems, inflammation and heart disease.”
Loneliness is also a risk factor for more serious mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
Advertisement
Dr. Sullivan suggests the following to turn loneliness around:
Sometimes loneliness becomes a difficult rut to get out of. It may mean pushing yourself out of your comfort zone a bit.
“I think it can be scary for people to reach out,” says Dr. Sullivan. “If you put yourself out there then there’s a risk of rejection. But in the end, the payoff is much greater than the risk.”
Advertisement
Learn more about our editorial process.
Advertisement
Because of a lack of research and possible side effects, cannabis isn’t recommended to treat mental health disorders
Try mindfulness, healthy lifestyle changes and making time to relax to help combat emotional stress
While it’s rich in antioxidants, this leafy water trend is likely not much of a sleep inducer
Men tend to have fewer deep friendships than women, but building close friendships can benefit mental health
Sitting in the dry heat may help reduce stress, improve heart health and relieve pain
It involves tapping specific points on your body while focusing on an emotion or issue you want to release
An ‘ick’ is a form of projection based on cognitive bias and shouldn’t be confused as a dealbreaker
Horoscopes, fortunetellers and personality tests all feed into our cognitive biases and reinforce our own feelings as true
Focus on your body’s metabolic set point by eating healthy foods, making exercise a part of your routine and reducing stress
PFAS chemicals may make life easier — but they aren’t always so easy on the human body
While there’s little risk in trying this hair care treatment, there isn’t much science to back up the claims