Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

[walterick]

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiolo...ension/tb/2947

"Middle-age and older adults reporting the greatest degree of loneliness had blood pressure levels 10 mm Hg to 30 mm/Hg higher on average than those who were least lonely, found psychologist Louise C. Hawkley, Ph.D., of the University of Chicago, and colleagues."

"The magnitude of the effect of loneliness on blood pressure is comparable to the magnitude of reduction that can be achieved through weight loss and exercise, said Dr. Hawkley and Jarett D. Berry, M.D., a cardiology fellow at Northwestern, in the March issue of Psychology and Aging."

""In light of these findings, demographic changes in the United States portend a health crisis," the authors warned. "Not only is the U.S. population aging, but household size is decreasing, the number of people living alone is increasing, and geographic mobility continues to separate people from the love and support of caring friends and family members."

"The authors pointed out an important limitation of the study. "This study is limited by its correlational nature," they wrote. "Causal statements about the role of loneliness await the results of longitudinal research.""

There, that last paragraph is for you Michael

[mwfanelli]

"The authors pointed out an important limitation of the study. "This study is limited by its correlational nature," they wrote. "Causal statements about the role of loneliness await the results of longitudinal research.""

There, that last paragraph is for you Michael

Thanks! As we all know, statistics (correlation especially) doesn't prove anything!

I wonder if this research is one of those "duh" studies? I would have guessed the conclusion without spending the money.

[adina]

If I lived alone, I would be able to blame the high blood pressure on the fact that I'd weigh 300 pounds. I discovered (okay, not just now, but today I said it outloud) that I eat when I'm bored.

Taken corrective measures immediately.

[Liz]

Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

And Increased blood pressure is correlated to diet.

Duh~

Liz

If I lived alone, I would be able to blame the high blood pressure on the fact that I'd weigh 300 pounds. I discovered (okay, not just now, but today I said it outloud) that I eat when I'm bored.

Taken corrective measures immediately.

[mwfanelli]

Here's another wonderful "study." It turns out that praying for someone's good fortune in the operating room leads to more complications for patients than not praying! I love these non-scientific studies!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/03/30....ap/index.html

[walterick]

Now THAT'S unexpected. I wonder if there's causality and what the mechanism would be? Added stress on the patient? Or more annoyance on the doctors?

[mwfanelli]

Now THAT'S unexpected. I wonder if there's causality and what the mechanism would be? Added stress on the patient? Or more annoyance on the doctors?

Or just random numbers because praying has no effect.

Ignore the following if y'all are sensitive...

I am always amazed when someone recovers from something such as a heart attack and ascribes it to prayer and God's will. No one ever blames that same Being for allowing the heart attack in the first place. Get credit for all good, no where to be found for the bad. I want a gig like that!

[greghalliday]

People have to get their PhDs in something.

[walterick]

I am always amazed when someone recovers from something such as a heart attack and ascribes it to prayer and God's will. No one ever blames that same Being for allowing the heart attack in the first place. Get credit for all good, no where to be found for the bad.

Actually, my experience speaks quite the opposite.

I know quite a FEW people who are angry with god. Angry because god did this to me, took that from me, killed this person, but not this person. And I also know plenty of people who blame god when something goes wrong but are quick to accept responsibility when things go right.

Besides that, not everyone believes that "god" grants prayers to some and denies them to others. Some believe they are creating the object of their prayers themselves.

Just a few alternatives to consider

[mwfanelli]

Actually, my experience speaks quite the opposite.

I know quite a FEW people who are angry with god. Angry because god did this to me, took that from me, killed this person, but not this person. And I also know plenty of people who blame god when something goes wrong but are quick to accept responsibility when things go right.

Besides that, not everyone believes that "god" grants prayers to some and denies them to others. Some believe they are creating the object of their prayers themselves.

Just a few alternatives to consider

Ah well... my comments were meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Sorry if I was too subtle, or perhaps not as clever as I thought! Statistical studies prove nothing either way.

To be serious, lets get it on record that I am not one of those who is "angry" with God. To have such a strong emotion I'd need to be emotionally involved in the first place. I just don't believe in a supreme Daddy, Mommy, kid, and pet in the sky so emotions are irrelevent. That has been the case ever since I was a little kid. What happens when someone dies? I'll find out soon enough! Regardless of the mythology one chooses to believe, there is only one true way to know! Of course, those 40 beautiful women... never mind.

[walterick]

Okay, sorry I missed your humor the first time. I thought you were making a real rant.

I honestly don't think many people believe in "the god in the sky" anymore. This from talking to people about what their idea of "god" is. They mostly say "I believe in something, but I don't call it god," "I can feel something out there, bigger than us," "I believe in the interconnection of all things, and the sum of all things is "god" to me." That sort of thing. I have yet to meet someone who can point to a particular cloud in the sky and say THAT'S the one that god's behind, pointing his finger and sending plagues of frogs and locusts. Granted, I haven't dialogued with any fundamentalist Christians recently. But this has been my experience of most people.

If you wanna play with "soft" science again...

There are many reports of what happens after we "die." Of course, scientifically and spiritually there is no such thing as "death;" only change. But when the mind or spirit leaves the mody and goes to the "other" place, there have been striking resemblences in what the mind perceives upon coming back (near-death experiences, etc.) If you can tolerate anecdotal evidence for a while, pick up a book called "Life After Life" by Raymond Moody. It's an interesting study in life after death phenomena.