PhotographyREVIEW.com Off-Topic Forum

Anything that's not related to photography, except religion and politics*. Discuss Britney Spears, your Kiss records, swing dancing, salsa recipes. The Off-Topic forum is moderated by walterick and adina.
*Religious and political threads will be deleted
Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Phoenix AZ
    Posts
    4,655

    Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    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
    Walter Rick Long
    Nikon Samurai, Mamiya Master, Velvia Bandit


    Check out the Welcome Thread

    My photography on Myspace

  2. #2
    Poster Formerly Known as Michael Fanelli mwfanelli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perryville, MD
    Posts
    727

    Re: Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    Quote Originally Posted by walterick
    "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.
    "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." --Mark Twain

  3. #3
    Princess of the OT adina's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    rockin' it in the D
    Posts
    3,853

    Re: Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    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.

  4. #4
    Liz
    Liz is offline
    Moderator Emeritus Liz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    5,982

    Re: Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    And Increased blood pressure is correlated to diet.

    Duh~

    Liz

    Quote Originally Posted by 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.

  5. #5
    Poster Formerly Known as Michael Fanelli mwfanelli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perryville, MD
    Posts
    727

    Yet Another...

    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
    "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." --Mark Twain

  6. #6
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Phoenix AZ
    Posts
    4,655

    Re: Yet Another...

    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?
    Walter Rick Long
    Nikon Samurai, Mamiya Master, Velvia Bandit


    Check out the Welcome Thread

    My photography on Myspace

  7. #7
    Poster Formerly Known as Michael Fanelli mwfanelli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perryville, MD
    Posts
    727

    Re: Yet Another...

    Quote Originally Posted by 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?
    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!
    "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." --Mark Twain

  8. #8
    sqrt -1 greghalliday's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    American Fork, Utah
    Posts
    211

    Re: Loneliness correlated with increased blood pressure

    People have to get their PhDs in something.

  9. #9
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Phoenix AZ
    Posts
    4,655

    Re: Yet Another...

    Quote Originally Posted by mwfanelli
    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
    Walter Rick Long
    Nikon Samurai, Mamiya Master, Velvia Bandit


    Check out the Welcome Thread

    My photography on Myspace

  10. #10
    Poster Formerly Known as Michael Fanelli mwfanelli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perryville, MD
    Posts
    727

    Re: Yet Another...

    Quote Originally Posted by walterick
    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.
    "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." --Mark Twain

  11. #11
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Phoenix AZ
    Posts
    4,655

    Re: Yet Another...

    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.
    Walter Rick Long
    Nikon Samurai, Mamiya Master, Velvia Bandit


    Check out the Welcome Thread

    My photography on Myspace

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •