We all know it sucks to be lonely, but is it actually essential for our survival? Here’s more on why loneliness might be a good thing.
Why Loneliness Can Be Deadly –
Sign Up For The Seeker Newsletter Here –
Read More:
Social Relationships and Health: The Toxic Effects of Perceived Social Isolation
“Research in social epidemiology suggests that the absence of positive social relationships is a significant risk factor for broad-based morbidity and mortality. The nature of these social relationships and the mechanisms underlying this association are of increasing interest as the population gets older and the health care costs associated with chronic disease escalate in industrialized countries.”
New Evidence for the Necessity of Loneliness
“Cacioppo proposes that the root of social ties lies in their opposite – loneliness. According to his theory, the pain of being alone motivates us to seek the safety of companionship, which in turn benefits the species by encouraging group cooperation and protection. Loneliness persists because it provides an essential evolutionary benefit for social animals. Like thirst, hunger or pain, loneliness is an aversive state that animals seek to resolve, improving their long-term survival.”
The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation.
“A hypothesized need to form and maintain strong, stable interpersonal relationships is evaluated in light of the empirical literature. The need is for frequent, nonaversive interactions within an ongoing relational bond. Consistent with the belongingness hypothesis, people form social attachments readily under most conditions and resist the dissolution of existing bonds.”
____________________
DNews is dedicated to satisfying your curiosity and to bringing you mind-bending stories & perspectives you won’t find anywhere else! New videos twice daily.
Watch More DNews on Seeker
Subscribe now!
DNews on
Trace Dominguez on
DNews on
DNews on Google+
Discovery News
Download the Seeker Daily App:
Sign Up For The Seeker Newsletter Here –
