From: The Washington Post
Loneliness can literally hurt your heart, scientists say
The Washington Post:
That pang in the middle of your chest when you feel lonely may not just be in your head. Researchers reported in the journal Heart this week that poor social relationships could actually hurt your heart.
The study involved what is known as a meta-analysis of 23 previous studies involving 181,000 people. This involves taking the raw data, pooling it and reanalyzing it. In total, the studies included 4,628 cases of cardiovascular disease and 3,002 stroke cases. The researchers found that being lonely or socially isolated appeared to be associated with a 29 percent increase in risk of heart disease and with a 32 percent increase in risk of stroke.
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A study published last year by University of Chicago researchers said that loneliness may cause humans to fall apart at even the cellular level. They wrote that the emotion appears to increase activities in genes that produce inflammation and those that fight disease.
Psychologist John Cacioppo wrote in his book “Loneliness” that it is “a survival impulse” like hunger.
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Comments
Yes, I agree with John Cacioppo’s statement that Loneliness is a survival impulse.
Theologically, Man was never meant to be alone. God even said, it was not good; so, He created woman (Genesis 2:18.KJV).
It is the probable major cause of most dysfunctional behavior.
Natalie
I’m not quite sure why you had to go all theological there Natalie, But yeah basically through evolutionary cycles the survival of humans, our species, depended on not being alone. But i tell ya what – now that I’m older and realize everyone is full of it, It’d be a lot easier to live alone.
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