LONELINESS
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Nearly everyone feels lonely at times. That includes people who seem to be popular. Why? Because often it is not the quantity of friends but the quality of friendships that determines whether a person feels lonely. Someone who seems popular could constantly be surrounded by people but have no real friends and therefore feel lonely.
Loneliness can be hazardous to your health. Researchers who analyzed the results of 148 studies concluded that low social interaction is a predictor of early death and that as a risk factor, it is “twice as harmful as obesity” and “equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
Loneliness can make you vulnerable. In fact, it could cause you to settle for anyone who would accept you as a friend. “When you’re lonely, you may be desperate for attention,” says a young man named Alan. “You could begin to think that any attention is better than no attention. And that can lead to trouble.”
Technology does not always cure loneliness. “I could text or e-mail a hundred people a day and still be incredibly lonely,” says a young woman named Natalie. A teenager named Tyler feels similarly. “Texting is like a snack, whereas face-to-face contact is like a meal,” he says. “Snacks are great, but you need a full meal to feel satisfied.”
Nearly everyone feels lonely at times. That includes people who seem to be popular. Why? Because often it is not the quantity of friends but the quality of friendships that determines whether a person feels lonely. Someone who seems popular could constantly be surrounded by people but have no real friends and therefore feel lonely.
Loneliness can be hazardous to your health. Researchers who analyzed the results of 148 studies concluded that low social interaction is a predictor of early death and that as a risk factor, it is “twice as harmful as obesity” and “equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
Loneliness can make you vulnerable. In fact, it could cause you to settle for anyone who would accept you as a friend. “When you’re lonely, you may be desperate for attention,” says a young man named Alan. “You could begin to think that any attention is better than no attention. And that can lead to trouble.”
Technology does not always cure loneliness. “I could text or e-mail a hundred people a day and still be incredibly lonely,” says a young woman named Natalie. A teenager named Tyler feels similarly. “Texting is like a snack, whereas face-to-face contact is like a meal,” he says. “Snacks are great, but you need a full meal to feel satisfied.”
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