I just got 37 - Extreme Loneliness
I only recently started reading studies that suggest that loneliness is not just a mental health problem or a social adeptness problem, but a PHYSICAL problem.
I have read several accounts of research indicating that
prolonged loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, or being an alcoholic with respect to health concerns. One article claimed that loneliness increases risk of
heart disease at the same rate as an obese person, and that the
risk of strokes increase almost 20%. (I read lots of articles, so if you are interested, do a search for loneliness and health risks to find the sources.)
Finally, a TEDtalk in Norway about loneliness was really eye-opening for me. Karen Dolva of No Isolation talks about the debilitating effects that loneliness has on our lives. Loneliness is not just losers who cannot maintain social connections, but
it is a serious health risk, and at least her company in Norway is attempting to combat this problem. Check it out for yourself
here.