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Doctors have known for some time that loneliness is not good for mental health, as it has associated pathologies such as depression, stress, anxiety and lack of self-esteem.
But there is increasing evidence that social isolation is also connected to other physical problems.
Some studies suggest that loneliness can cause diseases with fatal consequences.
In 2006, an investigation conducted with 2,800 women suffering from breast cancer suggested that those patients who saw little family and friends were up to five times more likely to die than those with a more active social life.
That is why scientists are trying to find out what effects solitude has on the body.
Psychologists at the University of Chicago and Ohio State University have shown that people who are socially isolated develop changes in their immune systems, which cause a condition known as chronic inflammation.
Temporary inflammations are necessary to cure cuts or infections, but if inflation persists over time it can lead to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Researchers at the University of Chicago found that lonely people find daily activities more stressful than those with a more active social life.
Scientists believe that cortisol, the hormone that the body releases in response to stress, causes inflammation and other diseases.
The latest study from Ohio State University looked at levels of inflammation in response to stress in lonely people.
Dr. Lisa Jeremka compared women who have survived breast cancer with healthy volunteers.
He submitted them to a well-known test called Trier Social Stress Test, in which, without prior notice, the participants had to give a talk in front of a panel explaining why they were the best candidates for a job.
Then they were asked to do an arithmetic operation in front of the panel.
The tests performed after this test showed that in both groups, solitary people were the ones with the highest level of inflammation.
"If you are alone you can have a higher level of inflammation regardless of whether you have a chronic disease," says Dr. Jeremka.
"For a long time, doctors found it difficult to recognize the importance of loneliness in health, and now we know that it is necessary to analyze and understand the social contexts of patients."
The number of people living alone is growing all over the world. Many are elderly, who have been left alone after the death of their partners or when their families have moved.
For example, in the United Kingdom, half of those over 75 live alone and one in ten suffers from acute loneliness.
"Being alone means not feeling connected or caring, it does not have to do with being physically alone," says Dr. Lisa Jeremka.
"We need to find a way to help lonely people, unfortunately, we can not tell everyone to go out and find someone who loves them, we need to create support networks," the expert concludes.
