(LIVE NEWSPAPER) -- Loneliness can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health. In fact, some studies suggest that the impacts of loneliness can be just as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. A recent report showed that 9 million people in the United Kingdom suffer from chronic loneliness.
Studies have shown that people who are lonely are more likely to develop depression. People who are lonely are also more likely to develop dementia. Additionally, loneliness can increase the risk of cognitive decline.
Loneliness can also have a number of negative effects on physical health. It can increase the risk of mortality by 26 percent. It can also increase the risk of obesity and high blood pressure. This is not the first time that doctors have pointed out the health risks of loneliness. A few months ago, physicians warned people that being lonely can be just as bad for one’s health as having diabetes.