Feeling lonely hard on woman's arteries

Feeling lonely is hard on a woman's arteries - It would seem that for some women, a lonely heart could actualy lead to heart damage, according to MSNBC. According to a new study, that forlorn feeling can lead to a nearly 80 percent increase in the risk of heart disease -- but only in females. Additional studies have revealed that depressed and people who are socially isolated have the greater risk for developing heart disease. Both of these factors can lead to stress, which can ultimately lead to heart disease, said the study's lead author. For some women, a lonely heart may lead to actual heart damage.

Rebecca C. Thurston - assistant professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine - found, in a new study published in Psychosomatic Medicine, the loneliness link even after accounting for the women's level of depression and sociability. Other studies have shown that depressed and socially isolated people are at a greater risk for developing heart disease. “When it comes to loneliness, it’s not just how many friends you have, but also how supported you feel. You can have a lot of people around you and still feel lonely.” People feel lonely when they don’t have a sense of connectedness with their friends and families, experts say. Loneliness is related to how fulfilled we feel in our relationships. “We experience feelings of loneliness when we feel that what we’re getting from our relationships falls short of what we expect.”

Thurston wanted to focus on loneliness because "it's an especially negative and distressing emotion that many people experience." Thurston looked back over the years and found that the loneliest women at the start ended up 76 percent more likely than the other women to develop heart disease.She suspects that the link showed up only in women because they tend to be more concerned about relationship quality than men. Women also tend to be more distressed when relationships with spouses and friends aren’t as close as they hoped, she said. The new findings fall in line with other research showing that while any type of marriage can protect a man’s heart, a bad marriage can be harmful for a woman’s health, Thurston said.

(My insights) People should and need to be aware about this matter. It helps a lot to every individual to feed their mind and be reminded on how to response and consider mental and emotional health. 'Silent' heart attacks more deadly than thought. Rebecca made a professional study to know the reasons why people experiencing or having a heart-attacked problem. And now, I knew already that "loneliness" is one of the reasons why. And I really admired her for her fascinating thoughts and facts. I'm so glad that I had read this article and share it to you. This is a new learning not only for me but for all of us. I hope everybody will appreciate and keep this in their mind.

Thank you and God bless!

- Ninz♥♥