According to an article in Forbes, loneliness might be a bigger health risk than smoking and obesity. The article was based on a question on the website Quora, where someone asked if they could die from loneliness.
It might seem contradictory, but as the human species grow in numbers, and more and more live in smaller areas, we also become more isolated. Even if living in a big city, surrounded by thousands of people every day, more and more people become socially isolated. And more and more studies are beginning to find that this is a big health risk. The article explains that loneliness can have a bigger impact on your health than obesity, smoking, exercise and nutrition.
The immune systems of the socially isolated often seem to focus on bacterial threats and ignore viral ones. A lack of normal antibody levels leaves lonely people to suffer from higher rates of cancer, infection and heart disease. Loneliness also raises cortisol and blood pressure levels, leaving people at risk for heart attacks and strokes.