Optimal Finance Daily - Financial Independence and Money Advice 3394: Tackling Loneliness by Rosalyn Palmer on Mental Well-Being Support
Dec 21, 2025
Explore the hidden epidemic of loneliness as experts reveal its serious health impacts, likening it to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Discover how social media can both connect and isolate, and learn the importance of meaningful relationships over mere quantity. Rosalyn Palmer shares innovative ideas for home design that encourage community while respecting privacy. Practical tips for daily connections, such as shared meals and small acts of kindness, illustrate how we can combat loneliness together. It's time to rethink our connections!
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Postwar 'Surplus Women' Example
- Palmer recalls the 'surplus women' after World War I who often lived solitary lives.
- She uses this historical example to show loneliness isn't just a modern problem but a recurring societal issue.
Loneliness Is A Serious Health Risk
- Loneliness harms physical and mental health as much as major risk factors like smoking or obesity.
- Rosalyn Palmer warns loneliness can raise death risk by about 29% and increase dementia, heart disease, and depression.
Loneliness Is About Quality Not Quantity
- Loneliness depends on perceived relationship quality, not number of contacts.
- Palmer notes more than 60% of lonely people are married because emotional connection, not status, matters.