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[UberTag]

I've heard several stories of older couples when either the husband or wife dies, the other dies soon after because of the loneliness and/or broken heart syndrome.

Drastic changes in routine at a late age aren't good for people. Same reason you hear so many instances of people retiring and then dying the next year.

 

[Jacknapes]

Define social.

I talk to work colleagues all the time, plus i have a small group of friends i talk to regularly and spend time with my girlfriend.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

Neat, getting screwed over in this regard too. Thanks, life.

There are a lot of studies suggesting chronic loneliness is bad for your health, and it includes people who say they're fine being alone. Human beings evolved in groups. We're wired up to need social interaction. If we don't get it, we suffer stress and increased cortisol levels, which damage a variety of our body's systems. More and more it's being investigated as a public health risk, as the incidence of self-reported loneliness increases.

What if one gets noticeably more stressed whenever they're around people?

 

[Shadax the wizard]

Drastic changes in routine at a late age aren't good for people. Same reason you hear so many instances of people retiring and then dying the next year.

Yeah, that as well.

 

[Alphahawk]

The basic idea is that a happy person is healthier than a non happier person. So for all of you asking about whether Facebook "counts" or not, if it makes you feel more fuffiled than the answer is yes.

 

[True Savior]

The basic idea is that a happy person is healthier than a non happier person. So for all of you asking about whether Facebook "counts" or not, if it makes you feel more fuffiled than the answer is yes.

What you are telling me is that porn is the solution for eternal life?

 

[faridmon]

Well, yeah, it's not healthy to be unhappy.

Loneliness leads to unhappiness.
Unhappiness leads to stress.
Hate leads to suffering.

I am really happy when I am lonely though. So little stress to deal with.

 

[Blobbers]

Just rubbed my thigh for 30 sec. Should do the trick for today, I feel.

 

[Dead Man]

I am really happy when I am lonely though. So little stress to deal with.

Then you are not lonely, you are alone or solitary. Which is fine.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

There are a lot of studies suggesting chronic loneliness is bad for your health, and it includes people who say they're fine being alone. Human beings evolved in groups. We're wired up to need social interaction. If we don't get it, we suffer stress and increased cortisol levels, which damage a variety of our body's systems. More and more it's being investigated as a public health risk, as the incidence of self-reported loneliness increases.

True, but there are more ways to connect to people than ever before. You can now connect with millions without ever leaving the house, so I don't really know what constitutes loneliness any more.

Seems to be more a state of mind than anything else. Although I guess it's always been a state of mind thing.

 

[E-flux]

There are a lot of studies suggesting chronic loneliness is bad for your health, and it includes people who say they're fine being alone. Human beings evolved in groups. We're wired up to need social interaction. If we don't get it, we suffer stress and increased cortisol levels, which damage a variety of our body's systems. More and more it's being investigated as a public health risk, as the incidence of self-reported loneliness increases.

Do you have any sources on said studies? I'm interested to read them, but i have no time to search for them while at work.

True, but there are more ways to connect to people than ever before. You can now connect with millions without ever leaving the house, so I don't really know what constitutes loneliness any more.

Seems to be more a state of mind than anything else. Although I guess it's always been a state of mind thing.

Yes but i would argue that the way we communicate now on social media is a lot more shallow and unfulfilling way to communicate than any of the old ways of talking to people. I can definitely see somebody get lonely when he has hundreds of facebook friends but no actual real friends who give a shit. Sometimes talking to strangers is helpful but it really doesn't change the fact that you might be completely alone after you shut down your monitor.

 

[Optimusdouche]

Anything that negatively affects you, causes stress, kills you.

A study would probably prove people with noisy neighbours die early.

 

[javac]

I'm not alone, all of you are coming with me!

 

[Raylan]

VR gonna kill us all. US ALL!!!!!

 

[Lucky Seven]

Well, i'm still here. Just kidding, just using the internet combats loneliness for me. Although, it probably isn't healthy to be so isolated...

 

[Messofanego]

I'm surprised we haven't got a sci fi film yet where lonely people are killed off or something else bad happens to them if they don't find friends or a partner.

Oh wait, that was The Lobster lol.

 

[Dice]

I wouldn't say I feel lonely, but I am factually alone often and often feel like I'm dying. You're saying I might actually be dying?

 

[Rikudo]

Oh god. Then I'm already dead ;_;

 

[Piers]

These responses LOL

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Yes but i would argue that the way we communicate now on social media is a lot more shallow and unfulfilling way to communicate than any of the old ways of talking to people. I can definitely see somebody get lonely when he has hundreds of facebook friends but no actual real friends who give a shit. Sometimes talking to strangers is helpful but it really doesn't change the fact that you might be completely alone after you shut down your monitor.

But wouldn't the fact they have X number of followers/online friends still bring a level of fulfilment/satisfaction they might otherwise have not gotten if social media didn't exist?

And doesn't social media allow people to connect in real life too? Don't those youtube 'celebrities' hold regular meet ups? GAF has its own meet ups too.

I do agree with your general point that social media has made connecting with people feel more shallow, people are less willing to engage in person. I think we've all noticed this and it is worrying as we become more and more glued to our screens, but I suspect there's still a strong level of fulfilment in there that makes the people who are regular users keep coming back.

For example, someone goes online and says they feel like shit, more often not their 'online friends' will rally around much in the same way real friends would. It's less nourishing to the body to not have someone there to hug, but if all you've ever known is sharing your problems online, you may still feel some level of fulfilment/satisfaction. It won't be at all comparable to actually hugging someone and the personal connection you make when you see and talk to someone, but there has to be something there for people to keep using it and dedicating more of their lives to it.

 

[draetenth]

Well yeah, imo it's pretty much a mentally feeling like depression. It's just a way you feel.

FTR, loneliness has nothing to do with being alone/lack of social interaction and can be felt even by people surrounded by others.

 

[itsbenoclock]

Can't get sick if you never touch anyone

 

[JimmyRustler]

I think that lacking social interaction can very well kill you. Though we should not confuse that with living alone aka without a partner. Because I think that is not necessary.

 

[Baconsaurus Rex]

At the very least it can give you a nasty sunburn.

 

[Jacobi]

That's why anime always emphasizes the power of friendship. You can overcome any obstacle with friendship. Especially loneliness...
And anime villains.

No, anime does that because it's for kids

 

[trixx]

My uncle passed 2 years ago, likely from this. He was in his mid forties. It wasn't until a couple days when they found out that he passed in his apartment.

My dad said he really wished that he had gotten married in the past

 

[Langdon Alger]

Define social.

I talk to work colleagues all the time, plus i have a small group of friends i talk to regularly and spend time with my girlfriend.

You're social.

 

[John Kowalski]

No, anime does that because it's for kids

Nah anime does that because Japanese culture puts an extreme emphasis on working selflessly for others.

In fact the vast majority of anime is specifically about the balance between being selfless and being selfish.

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

We all gotta go sometime.

 

[Lucian Cat]

I've heard several stories of older couples when either the husband or wife dies, the other dies soon after because of the loneliness and/or broken heart syndrome.

I work in a nursing home. This is 100% true sadly. I had this sweet old couple in rooms next to each other. They'd known each other since they were kids. Once the husband died the wife just gave up on living and died within several weeks. She didn't want to be without her soulmate

Edit: They were in their 90s for reference.

 

[HarryKS]

This is like saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's only part of it.

It won't kill you, but the fallout will.

 

[thetrin]

Wait, being alone, or feeling lonely? If you like being alone that's not the same.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Can confirm, I was killed by loneliness.

 

[varkuriru]

Welp adding one more to list:

Red meat
Sitting all day
Artificial sweeteners
Loneliness

 

[Kid Ska]

Can scientists discover something I'm doing is actually good for me for once

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

Solitude is fine.

Excessive loneliness is not. That's evolution for you, bro. An excessively isolated hunter gatherer was a dead hunter gatherer. We needed to be part small bands to survive.

But bro, what if we are mutants? What if we are the true next evolution of homo sapiens?

Lonely sapiens.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Solitude is fine.

Excessive loneliness is not. That's evolution for you, bro. An excessively isolated hunter gatherer was a dead hunter gatherer. We needed to be part small bands to survive.

An isolated hunter-gatherer was dead due to a fracture in security or inability to keep well fed/clothed. Not because they were lonely.

 

[Moff]

I always thought loneliness was the reason for the high rate of depression and suicide in very developed countries, so this it not news for me

 

[Messofanego]

Nah anime does that because Japanese culture puts an extreme emphasis on working selflessly for others.

In fact the vast majority of anime is specifically about the balance between being selfless and being selfish.

Sounds like communist propaganda they're putting in dem dere japanese cartoons!

 

[User 479360]

Oh well. I have to go sometime.

 

[Linkark07]

So, who is going to my funeral?

 

[TheSeks]

Welp adding one more to list:

Red meat
Sitting all day
Artificial sweeteners
Loneliness

You could add Orange Juice killing you as well. What does it matter? Everyone goes sometime eventually.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I've thought about this so called "spontaneous death" from being alone and miserable. I've been alone and thought that my body was trying to find something it couldn't get. I thought that since I was exercising and that I had socialized at work that it was my body's way of telling me that those things weren't making me happy inside.

Maybe it is somewhat true. You can do "what's good for you" and still feel alone. Like how they say people who are suicidal always seemed happy, maybe we do need some sorta company that satisfies our lust for someone else.

 

[Aiii]

Get a cat, live longer.

 

[Dice]

Get a cat, live longer.

I'm allergic to cats. RIP me.

Also they found interaction with cat poop seems to significantly increase risk of dementia.

 

[How About No]

Nah people suck. Relationships and obligations will kill me quicker

calling bullshit on endorphins

Endorphins were the worst fucking thing introduced in the prequels

Aint no chemical telling me how to feel

 

[Kickz]

I wonder if it counts that you have people around you all the time, but feel lonely inside.

 

[william_557]

loneliness and neogaf don't belong in the same sentence!

 

[FluxWaveZ]

Nah people suck. Relationships and obligations will kill me quicker

That's how I feel. I very much doubt that people who attest to not feeling as stressed/unhappy alone as they do around people suffer the same negative effects of being alone, as was stated earlier in the thread. It doesn't make much sense.

 

[Mr. X]

It's mental draining too. Loneliness and the feeling of it are fucking brutal.