LIVE BETTER & LONGER WITH FRIENDS?

While healthy diet and physical activity are inevitable for good health and longevity, social connections are inevitable too – with special reference to premature death. That’s why relationships with family/friends/colleagues at least once per month seem vital.  Read on to learn about details.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND

​As you know latest from our medical publications and seminars, healthy – and long – life depends basically on 2 individual vital pillars: healthy diet and physical activity. Not only. What additionally counts is our relationship with other individuals surrounding us near and far. 

SOCIAL ISOLATION AND/OR LONELINESS – SCIENTIFICALLY
VERIFIED

 Now we learn from
- Brigh am Young University in Provo, U T,
   as well as from research in the UK at
- University of Reading in Reading
   &
- Durham University in Durham
    plus
= National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taipeh, Taiwan 
   &
- Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok, Thailand
that social isolation and loneliness have an additional – vital but counterproductive – impact on our health and longevity.
 
Although both terms sound similar, they are not.
 
While

•  loneliness

 
is a personally felt type of distress in cases where actual social relationships are not as desired,

• social isolation

 
is limiting contact with other people and even missing a social network.
 
In fact, you can feel alone despite of participating in a social network, just as – vice versa – you can participate in a social network and still feel solitary.
 
Either way, both – loneliness and social isolation - have different impact on our life (extension). Just understand the difference.       

Loneliness 
​

The real problem of loneliness is that it may cause changes in our daily life, disadvantageous for our health and wellbeing. Like, inter alia,
 

• sedentary lifestyle
• smoking
• missing mentally encouraging activities
• overlooking of onset of health issues while they could be treated successfully.

 
Manifold leading to mental health issues like stress/depression/anxiety, potentially with the consequence of suicide or other premature mortality.
 
Especially, if this type of loneliness is felt not just one day of the week but even on 3 days during the week or more.​

Social Isolation
 

In fact, even if social isolation is not leading to loneliness, it can well be very harmful for health – and longevity. Including pre-mortality.
 
Especially, if you need any support (e.g. transportation to see a doctor, etc.) or if you don’t realize any changes of yourself, unless you are told by observation/monitoring of others.
 
Potentially, both (loneliness and social isolation) can be leading to health issues like

• high blood pressure
• mental health problems
• elevated triglycerides  
• overweigh/obesity

           & certainly

• reduced quality of life

with the risk of premature mortality.
 
​Making vicious cycle perfect.

IN A NUTSHELL
​

While healthy diet and physical activity are inevitable for good health and longevity, social connections are inevitable too – with special reference to premature death. That’s why relationships with family/friends/colleagues at least once per month seem vital. According to WHO preferably physically, or at least by phone and/or online platforms. To avoid/postpone serious health issues and even pre-mortality. 

ADAGE OF THE WEEK

​"Unless we put medical freedom in the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize itself into an undercover dictatorship to restrict the art of healing to one the class of men and deny equal privileges to others which will constitute the bastille of medical science.”
Dr. Benjamin Rush
(1745-1813)
‘Father of American Psychiatry’
&
A signer of the American Declaration of Independence

​