The mismatch experienced between a person’s desired and actual levels of social connectedness is known as loneliness, or “perceived social isolation”. Unlike social isolation, which is a subjective feeling, loneliness is an objective measure of connectivity.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Prashant Pawar, Consultant-Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, shared, “It is generally accepted that loneliness is a significant risk factor for disease and early death; According to some estimates, having no social connections can increase one’s chance of death by as much as 50%. The incidence of loneliness is alarming, with research from the World Health Organization (WHO) showing that in 2021, nearly one-third of older individuals in the United States experienced loneliness on a regular basis.
He explained, “Loneliness is an emotional response to social isolation; It is defined as the difference between a person’s desired and actual social relationships. Accordingly, it is believed that the quality of connections, rather than quantity, has a greater impact on loneliness. Research from the European Society of Cardiology (Euroheartcare 2018) shows that loneliness is harmful to the heart and is a powerful predictor of early death. The study showed that, for both men and women, being alone was not as strong a predictor of negative outcomes as feeling lonely!”
Highlighting that adults who are socially isolated or lonely often experience long-term stress, Dr. Prashant Pawar revealed, “Due to socioeconomic and demographic shifts, an increasing number of people in contemporary society People are in the grip of loneliness. Due to increased longevity, the population of people age 60 and older has tripled since 1950. Less social interaction, living alone for longer periods of time, and higher frequency of loneliness are all related to aging. However, loneliness can occur at any stage of life and is not solely a result of the damage caused by aging.
According to them, the increase in the number of single-family homes, delayed marriage and two-income households have contributed to the increase in the prevalence of loneliness. Dr. Prashant Pawar said, “The Internet has fundamentally changed the way people communicate and live. Despite greater access to digital media, more people are feeling socially isolated. Recent research indicates that social media use may actually be harmful rather than improving one’s well-being.
They revealed, “Regardless of the type of heart disease, even after controlling for body mass index (BMI), age, education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, other conditions, according to the Denhart survey, feeling alone was worse in all patients.” Was linked to the results. , For both men and women, loneliness was associated with nearly twice the risk of mortality. Individuals who experienced loneliness, regardless of gender, had a significantly worse quality of life and were three times more likely to express feelings of anxiety and depression.
Dr Prashant Pawar elaborated, “Health risk behaviors such as smoking, inadequate sleep and physical inactivity are associated with social isolation and loneliness. Additionally, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and social isolation have all been linked to loneliness. For both men and women, loneliness is a far greater predictor of early death, poor mental health and lower quality of life in heart disease patients than is living alone.
They concluded, “According to European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention, people who experience social isolation or disconnection are more likely to develop coronary artery disease and die prematurely from it. According to the guidelines, people who already have heart disease or are at high risk of developing it should be evaluated for their psychological risk factors.
