Loneliness hits both health and the economy

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), social isolation and loneliness are linked to a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety. According to Euronews, a new analysis from the UK has found that loneliness is also costing healthcare systems dearly. According to the research, published in the journal PLOS One, people who are frequently lonely cost the UK’s National Health Service 1,024 euros more a year than their more social peers. The study found that loneliness is linked to mental distress, poorer mental health, poorer physical health, and a lower quality of life. Lonely people are also more likely to visit hospital than people who are not lonely.