Thomas Sander, in his Social Capitol blog, has a great link to a book and Boston Globe interview with the author of a new book on loneliness in America. The book, written by John Cacioppo, is titled Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection
- The lonely sleep less well and less efficiently.
- The lonely can’t think as clearly.
- The lonely were more likely to describe a gadget anthropomorphically and the lonely were more likely to believe in the supernatural (e.g., God, angels or miracles), and believed in the supernatural more when they were feeling lonely.
- Lonely people had higher levels of chronic inflammation, a condition associated with heart and artery disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other illnesses.
Choosing to spend time alone, or live alone, can be equally beneficial and the research shows there is a strong need for human connection. The Boston Globe article paraphrases Cacioppo by writing:
Moving to a new town or being single can open the door to loneliness, but it turns out it isn’t just a matter of being alone. Indeed, the lonely don’t spend any more time by themselves than the rest of us do. Real loneliness is a feeling that some essential connection is lacking, and while social circumstances matter, it’s also partly genetic.
Choosing to live alone — and live healthy — requires maintaining contact with friends, and building relationships with confidants. While it may seem helpful to amass a few dozen, or few hundred, “friends” on Facebook, being alone, but not lonely, means having real connections and doing things to keep the essential connection to your land, your home, and to some community.
