October 23, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
Despite some detrimental impact on vulnerable individuals, a recent survey did not find a large increase in loneliness as a result COVID-19. Instead, they found remarkable resilience in response to it. Some participants perceived more social and emotional support during the pandemic.
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May 8, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
According to a recent study by Cigna, more than half of Americans experience loneliness. While connections are as important to well being as they were a hundred years ago, our modern society has contributed to weaker social connections. The negative consequences of loneliness are physical, resulting in increased inflammation, as well as mental.
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March 20, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
In a recent Cigna survey, almost half of the respondents reported feeling lonely “always” or “sometimes”. One hypothesis drawn from the research is that these feelings of loneliness are generated partly by inflammation and previous research indicates inflammation impacts our thinking and behaviors.
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January 17, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
Researchers from UC San Diego examined why older people living in communal settings can still feel lonely, and determined what could be done to overcome it.
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December 27, 2019
by Tina Arnoldi
A recent study in JMIR found that data from Fitbit and smartphone devices could help identify college students experiencing loneliness. The results suggest “fine-grained behavioral features” from mobile and wearable devices can distinguish between high and low levels of loneliness. Students
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October 18, 2019
by Tina Arnoldi
Researchers at the Brain Dynamics Laboratory in Chicago conducted a trial for the hormone pregnenolone with volunteers who have high scores on a loneliness scale. The hormone may benefit the lonely person who desires human connection yet also has an instinct for self-preservation.
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February 8, 2019
by Tina Arnoldi
Loneliness is a major issue in our culture in every part of the world and does not discriminate. As more people spend time behind computer screens or are home bound, meaningful connections are on the decline globally.
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December 30, 2018
by Elizabeth Pratt
Loneliness is at epidemic levels around the world, and new research has found it is particularly prevalent in the late 20s, mid 50s and late 80s.
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August 21, 2018
by Elizabeth Pratt
Researchers have found a poor sleep can contribute to feelings of loneliness and make a person less socially desirable.
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Winter blues are more than a little sadness. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth edition (DSM-5), seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of recurring depression based on seasonal patterns (APA, 2013). The most frequent occurrence of SAD is during the winter months (Evans et al., 2013). The Mayo Clinic (2014) describes winter SAD symptoms as depression, irritability, fatigue, problems getting along with others, hypersensitivity to rejection, heavy feeling in legs and arms, increase in appetite, and weight gain.
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