Loneliness increases risk of premature death by 14%

Harbin Medical University Dr. The research, supported by the Wu Lien Science Foundation (WLD-QN1106, FW) and compiling studies on loneliness from 20 countries over the past 20 years, was published June 19 in the journal Nature Human Behavior, which studies human behavior. The study, titled “A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 90 Cohort Studies on Social Isolation, Loneliness and Death,” examined the extent to which loneliness and social isolation affect the risk of death, disease and human health. A total of 90 prospective cohort studies with 2 million 205 thousand 199 people were included in the study. 29 of these studies were conducted in the US and 61 in other developed countries such as England, Japan, Korea, Finland. In conclusion, both social isolation and loneliness appeared to be significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause death in the general population.

Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist Dr. Semiha Tufan, “Research; It tells us that the more isolated and lonely a person is from society and individuals, the more negatively affected his general health.

“THE MANY PEOPLE HAVE INSTALLED THEM, THE MORE GENERAL HEALTH HAS BEEN AFFECTED”

Giving information about the results of the research, psychiatrist and psychotherapist of VM Medical Park Maltepe Hospital, Dr. Semiha Tufan said:

“Since man is a social being by nature, good relationships are best for him. Since he cannot make his life meaningful without a relationship, his general health is also affected by relationships. Looking at the results of the research, we can see that it is best for us in life to build social support and good relationships. Research; It tells us that the more a person isolates himself from society and individuals and isolates himself, the more negatively his general health is affected. When we look at the meta-analysis, we see that people are affected by this situation at a very high level. For example, in the study, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease increased by 25-30 percent in lonely and socially isolated individuals, the risk of death from stroke increased by 25-30 percent, and the death rate in individuals increased by 14 percent. suffer from loneliness, and this rate was even higher in social isolation. It has been found to have risen to 30 percent. “

“MAN CONSIDERS LONELY AND SOCIAL ISOLATION AS A SERIOUS STRESS FACTOR”

Emphasizing that the most important factor that keeps people alive and makes their lives meaningful, Dr. Tufan said: “Other studies on the subject have shown that the most stressful situation for people is the state of not having good and healthy close relationships. The existence of social isolation and the lack of healthy close relationships reduces the support and care one receives and makes it difficult to cope with stressors. Therefore, as a result of stress, changes occur in many systems, such as the immune system, secretions of the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands. Therefore, people experience loneliness and social isolation as a very serious stressor. Due to all these hormonal changes, there are serious changes in your body, brain and immune system and our immune system is suppressed.

“LOONELITY ALSO INFLUENCES CANCER”

Dr. Tufan continued:

“One of the results of the study is that loneliness and social isolation have an effect on many cancer or immune-related diseases. An increase in breast cancer deaths has been noted, especially in women; It has been observed that the more lonely and socially isolated women are, the higher the mortality rate. It has been found that the less social isolation, the less lonely and the better the social support, the lower the mortality rate. Because man is a being that exists with another from the moment he is born. Luck is also closely related to it. For example, in another study in the US, they surveyed adolescents and asked questions such as ‘what will make you happy in the future’. Some said “success” and some said “money” or gave similar answers. They followed the same teens studied in the study 15-20 years later and found that the happiest of them all were those who were in good relationships.”

“Mental state has serious impact on death rate from diseases”

As can be deduced from the study, Dr. To say that one of the most important things in human life is to establish good relationships in social relations. Tufan said: “This is an important factor that also protects general health and mental health. If your mental health and relationships are not good, your general health is not good either. Factors related to self-care, such as lack of care when alone, poor diet, increased use of alcohol and cigarettes, can all influence these mortality or morbidity rates. For this reason, more studies on this topic will contribute to the science. The data we have now clearly shows that mental state, loneliness and social isolation really do affect health status and mortality from disease,” he said.

“I TALK TO MYSELF LIKE I HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU”

Taner Demirtaş, 51, who lives alone and does not like loneliness, said in his speech about the results of the study: “It is very difficult to live alone; I do all my work alone, I even talk to myself as if someone is standing next to me.” Demirtaş, who complained about loneliness as much as possible, finally addressed people and said: “Don’t live alone; If you are single, get married and appreciate your mother and father.

“I HAVE TO SHARE WITH SOMEONE”

Asena Gömbe of the Gömbe couple stated that she likes solitude, while Alper Gömbe said she doesn’t like solitude very much. Asena Gömbe states that she likes to be alone with herself and thinks: “Probably because lonely people are a bit more prone to depression, a depressed state can carry the risk of death”, while Alper Gömbe says: “Life does not just pass , you must have a life partner. Loneliness is difficult, it is necessary to share with someone. Therefore, I agree with the results of the study,” he said.

“WE ARE HAPPY AS WE ARE SOCIAL, THE RESULT MAKES VERY logic to me”

Emin Karabal, who stated that he likes loneliness from time to time, said the result of the study makes sense. Karabal, who also defines socialization in his own way, said: “As we become happier as we socialize, I thought the result made a lot of sense. According to that happiness, something is secreted in our body.”