Recently I came across this article that spending extended periods of time alone is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. If this is true, how does it really work? What are the physiological implications of loneliness that causes such detrimental effects not only to the mind, but also the body?
Source: https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2022/05/prolonged-social-isolation-loneliness-are-equivalent-smoking-15-cigarettes-day#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20National%20Institute,as%20many%20as%2015%20years.
In: 5
The human brain is wired to interact with other humans – it’s a consequence of being a social animal. While different people need different levels of interaction, almost everybody needs some: it’s a strong enough urge that humans will form social bonds with just about anything given the chance (see: dogs, horses, cats, bird, and even plants, machines, and rocks).
There is at least three causes of stress related to not having interactions with other humans. First, interaction can be leisure activity in and of itself – a way of reducing stress. However, other humans can also be active stress sinks: listening to problems, as well as commiseration and sympathy can be ways that other humans can take actions to help reduce stress on the body and mind. Finally, evidence shows that humans who interact often learn to divide not only physical tasks, but also mental ones – passively reducing the stresses building up on a person.
Even if the stress is purely mental, mental stress produces similar hormone responses to physical stress. This is basically the equivalent of running your car too hot or overclocking your computer – even if you don’t need it. The mental stress becomes physical through the body response – which in turn wears out your body faster than if you weren’t stressed.
Latest Answers