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Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

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Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#11
post #5

This is why doctors should recommend drinking and smoking. At a certain point the risk of premature death is greater from being a shut-in than it is from indulging in a pint and a ciggie with some buddies every once in a while.

But I don't think it makes a diff. My friend circle has had a few guys drop into hermit mode. We have tried all kinds of things to pull them out, but it's like they have decided monastic life or whatever is their thing.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#12

How much is related to people suffering a medical emergency and nobody being around to help? vs. How much is the actual emotional impact of loneliness?

This is a very valid question. I have had a few close calls where I afterwards wonder what would have happened if I had hurt myself seriously. Chances are, no one would have paid attention in days.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#14

Any Meta or X employees want to comment on loneliness? I always felt like social media platforms made people lonelier overall.

It's the social equivalent of ultra-processed food. Hyper-palatable and habit-forming, you always crave more. You end up (socially) both overfed and malnourished.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#15
Aside from a formal study, _feels_ right (for what that's worth). The healthiest people I know are generally happy and have people around who care of them and they care for. I swear the social parts of life are what keep the elderly going, in my experience.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#16
I haven't dug into all the sources, but I think there's a potential confounder here, or maybe even reverse causality. The author seems to assume causation when the studies only indicate correlation. E.g. the first link says "chronic loneliness increases mortality risk" but the actual source says "actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality".

So for example, it's possible that if you already have chronic illness, a disability, or any other kind of health issues, you're more likely to have higher social isolation and therefore be more lonely, in addition to having a higher mortality risk. There's an outside variable (your health) that is correlated with both (loneliness and mortality), but that doesn't necessarily mean that loneliness causes mortality. If this were the case, we could defend claims like "autism increases mortality", because we already know that autism increases social isolation.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#18
Before getting tied up with bureaucratic nonsense my daughter was looking at starting a "borrow a grandma / grandpa" club at her university. The idea was to connect students with elderly people who are lonely, and they could have tea / coffee together. The elderly get to be social with a younger generation, and the younger generation gets to understand the struggles that a lot of elderly people face.

I think that the university was concerned with liability. I still think that it's a good idea.

Re: Meta-analysis of 2.2M people: Loneliness increases mortality risk by 32%

#20
post #15

Aside from a formal study, _feels_ right (for what that's worth). The healthiest people I know are generally happy and have people around who care of them and they care for. I swear the social parts of life are what keep the elderly going, in my experience.

I swear the social parts of life are what keep the elderly going, in my experience.

I could've sworn there was a paper, (or maybe just an article? can't remember), a long time ago about the community on a Mediterranean island somewhere? The thesis was that people there were living abnormally long lives because of the Mediterranean style food they ate, and how socially active and interconnected they were in old age.

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