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UrduLoneliness and isolation among older Americans have mostly returned to pre-pandemic rates, but that still means more than one third of people age 50 to 80 feel lonely, and nearly as many feel isolated, a new national study shows.
Tag: Loneliness
Grandparents help grandkids in many ways – but the reverse may be true too, poll suggests
A new poll looks at how grandparents are involved in their grandchildren’s lives, and how this relates to mental health and lonelines.
New Gallup Survey Shows One in Five U.S. Adults are Lonely
A new survey from Gallup shows one in five U.S. adults report feeling lonely daily. According to the survey, this is the highest level in two years. In 2023, the Surgeon General declared a loneliness epidemic in the U.S. While…
PEOPLE THINK ‘OLD AGE’ STARTS LATER THAN IT USED TO, STUDY FINDS
Press release from the American Psychological Association on research published in Psychology and Aging.
Middle-aged Americans lonelier than European counterparts
Middle-aged adults in the U.S. tend to report significantly higher levels of loneliness than their European counterparts, possibly due in part to weaker family ties and greater income inequality, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
For the lonely, a blurred line between real and fictional people
In lonely people, the boundary between real friends and favorite fictional characters gets blurred in the part of the brain that is active when thinking about others, a new study found.
“Well-being index” predicts population cardiovascular risk
Well-being index (WBI) is a comprehensive measure of an individual’s satisfaction with their career, social and community relationships, finances and health. Researchers compared results from a Gallup national WBI survey to CDC cardiac death data, and found a nearly 14%…
Cutting back on social media reduces anxiety, depression, loneliness
Iowa State University researchers found college students who tried to cut their social media use to 30 minutes per day scored significantly lower for anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear of missing out at the end of the two-week experiment and when compared to the control group.
Loneliness, insomnia linked to work with AI systems
Employees who frequently interact with artificial intelligence systems are more likely to experience loneliness that can lead to insomnia and increased after-work drinking, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
New Study Ties Loneliness to Higher Mortality Risk Among Cancer Survivors
A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) showed people living with cancer with higher reported loneliness have an increased mortality risk. The findings were presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, June 2-6.
Virginia Tech neuroscientist offers insight into how loneliness can affect health
Efforts are underway to address the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” affecting the country, as recently addressed by the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy who is laying out a “National Strategy to Advance Social Connection” initiative. Virginia Tech neuroscientist Georgia Hodes says that reports of depression and anxiety are up at least 3-fold since the start of the COVID epidemic.
Lonely People’s Divergent Thought Processes May Contribute to Feeling “Alone in a Crowded Room”
Lonely individuals’ neural responses differ from those of other people, suggesting that seeing the world differently may be a risk factor for loneliness regardless of friendships.
On pandemic’s third anniversary, loneliness and isolation are down, but still high, among older adults
After three years of pandemic living, loneliness, isolation and lack of social contact have finally started to decline among older adults, a new poll shows.
Loneliness is central to perinatal depression
Loneliness can often contribute to depression in expectant and new mothers, finds a new review of evidence led by UCL researchers.
Feeling Lonelier than Usual is Linked to Increased Drinking and Drug Use, According to Detailed Pandemic Diaries of US Adults
During the pandemic, on days that adults felt particularly lonely or when lockdown restrictions were more limiting, they used more drugs (other than cannabis), a new study suggests.
Having a partner more important than children to staving off loneliness during pandemic, new study finds
A new study released in the European Journal of Ageing found that having a partner had a greater impact than having children in helping to stave off loneliness among older adults during the pandemic’s first wave. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island, University of Florence, University of Maryland Baltimore County and the SGH Warsaw School of Economics analyzed data on more than 35,000 adults aged 50 and older from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe to examine if unpartnered and childless older adults reported more loneliness and how that changed over the course of the pandemic.
Childhood loneliness linked to stress and problem drinking in young adults
Research from the Arizona State University Department of Psychology has shown that young adults who experienced childhood loneliness have higher stress levels and more problem drinking behaviors.
COVID-19 pandemic led to increase in loneliness around the world
People around the world experienced an increase in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, although small, could have implications for people’s long-term mental and physical health, longevity, and well-being, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Can financial stress lead to physical pain in later years?
Financial stress can have an immediate impact on well-being, but can it lead to physical pain nearly 30 years later? The answer is yes, according to new research from University of Georgia scientists.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss How Exercise Behaviors Changed During COVID-19 Pandemic
New Brunswick, N.J. (April 14, 2021) – Rutgers expert Brandon L. Alderman, who focuses on the science of exercise and its impact on mental health and cognitive function, is available for interviews on how exercise behaviors have changed during the…
How Does Your Brain Process Emotions? Answer Could Help Address Loneliness Epidemic
In a study published in the March 5, 2021 online edition of Cerebral Cortex, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that specific regions of the brain respond to emotional stimuli related to loneliness and wisdom in opposing ways.
COVID-19 pandemic has increased loneliness and other social issues, especially for women, Mayo research finds
Social distancing guidelines have reduced the spread of COVID-19, but lockdowns and isolation also have created or aggravated other well-being concerns, reports new research. Mayo Clinic investigators found a significant increase in loneliness and a decrease in feelings of friendship during the pandemic.
4 Steps to Walk Away From Loneliness
Loneliness can impact our mental and physical health—so how can we loosen its grip?
Pets, touch and COVID-19: why our furry friends are lifesavers
A new study published by University of South Australia researchers points to the lifesaving role that pets have played in 2020 and why governments need to sit up and take notice.
Loneliness in Parkinson’s disease may lead to worsening of symptoms
Research from UCLA scientists and colleagues from other institutions finds that people with Parkinson’s disease who lack meaningful social interactions may be at an increased risk for severe symptoms related to the disease.
Marital conflict causes loneliness, health problems
Couples that clash often are more likely to experience feelings of loneliness and poorer physical health, according to new University of Georgia research.
From San Diego to Italy, Study Suggests Wisdom can Protect Against Loneliness
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine and University of Rome La Sapienza examined middle-aged and older adults in San Diego and Cilento, Italy and found loneliness and wisdom had a strong negative correlation. The wiser the person, the less lonely they were.
Baby boomers show concerning decline in cognitive functioning
In a reversal of trends, American baby boomers scored lower on a test of cognitive functioning than did members of previous generations, according to a new nationwide study.
FSU researchers find resilience, not loneliness, in nationwide study of pandemic response
Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has not led to an overall increase in loneliness among Americans.
That’s the takeaway from a comprehensive, nationwide study by Florida State University College of Medicine researchers who surveyed more than 2,000 people before and during the enactment of stay-at-home policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study finds evidence that loneliness makes it harder to quit smoking
In a study published today (15 June 2020) in Addiction, University of Bristol researchers have found evidence for a causal link between prolonged experience of loneliness and smoking.
How to Combat Loneliness in Older Adults During COVID-19
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, but also a second public health crisis: social isolation.
Depression and loneliness during COVID-19
Americans experienced more depression and loneliness during the early COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by Indiana University, but those who kept frequent in-person social and sexual connections had better mental health outcomes.
Robotic Cats Are ‘Purr-fect’ Companions for Seniors Isolated Due to COVID-19
Researchers provide the “purr-fect” solution to comfort and engage older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias (ADRD) during the pandemic – interactive robotic cats. Designed to respond to motion, touch and sound, these robotic pets offer an alternative to traditional pet therapy. Robotic pets are usually given to people with ADRD, but data has shown that using them to decrease social isolation for older adults is highly successful.
Loneliness in Times of Isolation
Social isolation can change our brain and our lives. What are signs loneliness is affecting us, and how do combat it?
McLean Hospital Experts: Confronting Loneliness in a Time of Social Distancing
According to Jacqueline Olds, MD, and Richard S. Schwartz, MD, the coronavirus pandemic presents new challenges and opportunities as people try to stay connected to each other in a time of social distancing (or the term many are advocating for: physical distancing).…
As stay-at-home orders increase, so do feelings of loneliness and depression
To stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the governing bodies of cities and states across the country are ordering people to stay home. But studies have shown that the loneliness and depression that may result from social isolation impacts not only mental health, but physical health as well. Jena Lee, MD, a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and clinical instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, discussed how stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders may affect emotional and physical wellbeing, and how to counteract those effects.
Loneliness in the time of the coronavirus
Dawn Fallik has talked about the social isolation that hits Gen Z and Millenials who spend so much time online. https://schedule.sxsw.com/2019/events/PP103401 But now that social distancing is requiring less face-to-face contact, she is seeing that many people who live alone…
EXPERT PITCH: Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation
As people across the nation prepare for social distancing to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, they may stock up on groceries, fill all of their prescriptions and reschedule doctor’s appointments. What they may not think to do is…
Mount Sinai Researchers Find Social Isolation During Key Developmental Windows Drives Long-Term Disruptions in Social Behavior
MEDIA ADVISORY Nature Communications study UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL: Friday, February 21 at 5:00pm EST Mount Sinai Researchers find social isolation during key developmental windows drives long term changes to activity patterns of neurons involved in initiating social approach in an…
A prescription for the pain of rejection: Acetaminophen and forgiveness
The emotional distress that often accompanies a breakup is called social pain, and it may cause sadness, depression and loneliness, as well as actual physical pain, research has shown.
A study, published recently in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine may have found an antidote – forgiveness combined with acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.
Lonely in a Crowd: Overcoming Loneliness with Acceptance and Wisdom
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found the main characteristics of loneliness in a senior housing community and the strategies residents use to overcome it.
Can a cat improve your grandma’s life?
Research is looking at how having a pet can help seniors
What compulsive dating-app users have in common
Loneliness and social anxiety is a bad combination for single people who use dating apps on their phones, a new study suggests. Researchers found that people who fit that profile were more likely than others to say they’ve experienced negative outcomes because of their dating app use.