Loneliness is Deadly. Avoid It All You Can - Age With Charm
“…We’re connected 24/7, yet anxiety, fear, depression, and loneliness are at an all-time high…” – Dr. Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey.
Dr. Lindsey is not exaggerating. Nearly
half of all Americans are experiencing loneliness. Among the elderly, the picture is more gruesome. As of 2016, 28% out of
48 million Americans aged 65 and above, live alone. Of course, they may not necessarily be lonely, but they are at risk of suffering from the ill-effects of loneliness.
Yes, people have never been connected as now, but “ the phrase “I feel lonely,” is so common to become a cliche. But what is loneliness and what is it to be lonely?
What is Loneliness
Loneliness is not just a matter of being alone, but of having no definite meaningful relationship or set of relationships. You are lonely if the people who mean so much to you are out of sight and out of reach. Or those around you are as distant as the moon.
Some define loneliness as “an unpleasant and distressing state that results when a person feels that the quality and quantity of their social relationships falls short of the desired.”
Researchers have identified two types of loneliness. These are:
- Emotional – the absence of attachment figure
- Social – the absence of a social network
Loneliness Risks
Loneliness, whether emotional or social, is a creeping condition that will affect your physical and mental health.
People are social species. We need social interaction in a safe and secure environment to survive and prosper. If that interaction is removed for a prolonged period, body and mind deteriorate. They atrophy.
When that happens various physical disorders hog your life like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, obesity, cancer, hearing problems, and other health issues.
While they are serious by themselves, they are not as risky to your mental health as the following:
Depression
Depression is the most common mental health issue among elderly people. Though not a normal consequence of aging but chronic illnesses and living alone make seniors very vulnerable to it.
It is bad for the elderly because of…
- Increased episodes of aches and pains
- Frequent chronic fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Possible sleep problems, either insomnia or oversleeping
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. The symptoms of the disease develop slowly, becoming more severe over time to interferes with daily tasks.
The greatest risk factor of the disease is age and the majority of those who have Alzheimer’s are people aged 60 and above.
A study done by the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago reported that “lonely individuals may be as twice as likely to develop…Alzheimer’s disease in late life… “ Alcoholism
Loneliness is a known contributing factor in the development of alcoholism and other forms of substance abuse.
Between 2002 and 2006, about 2.8 million people aged 50 and above suffered from substance abuse disorders, including alcoholism. And the figure is expected to double by 2020.
People take the path to the bottle as a means of battling insomnia, depression, mood swings, anxiety, and loneliness. For lack of social support and interaction, they take to alcohol.
Alters the immune system
Loneliness alters the immune system increasing your susceptibility to illnesses, poor health, and early death, according to John T Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago and his fellow researchers.
Suicide
Old age is the time to look back on your life, glory on your accomplishments or give an embarrassing smile about your failures. Above all, it is the time to celebrate, enjoy and be happy for having reached this far.
There is a downside...
Aches and pains become your daily reality. Your vision becomes a little blurry. So is your hearing and balance. Then there are chronic illnesses that force you to alter your lifestyle, and the loneliness of your existence especially if you live alone.
If you are not functionally healthy at your age with poor coping mechanisms, you are prone to depression – a major cause for unnatural deaths, – like suicide.
Personality disorders
A personality disorder is a type of mental disorder that makes you acquire a rigid and unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving.
It makes it difficult for you to perceive and relate with others. In effect, it gives you problems in relationships and social activities.
Prolonged loneliness can make you develop a fear in interacting with others, the urge to run away from people. You develop a paranoia towards social interaction. It stresses you out, makes you feel anxious and awkward.
And the longer your loneliness is, the likelihood of developing a personality disorder becomes a certainty.
Sleep problems
Sleep is important because it helps improve concentration and memory. Sleep allows the body to repair cells damaged during the day and recharges your immune system.
A good sleep is between 7 to 8 hours. A lot of seniors, however, have sleep problems due to age-related issues. Things like stress, aches, and pains, poor nutrition, and chronic illnesses may deny you of a good night’s sleep.
There is no truth that seniors sleep less. Strive to have what is required to avoid cognitive decline.
Why Avoid Loneliness
Being lonely is a part of our being who we are. While some people have no problem in dealing with it, others cannot. Their state of isolation and desolation gets into their nerves.
If you are the type who would feel lost and adrift in the absence of a meaningful connection to others, do something to remedy your situation. Loneliness is deadly. It has the same health impact on your health as smoking 15 sticks of cigarettes each day and obesity. While they may be difficult to shake off, it is much easy to avoid loneliness. And you must, at all cost.
~oOo~
