MSGID: 1:317/3 649a660a   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Fighting loneliness by finding purpose    
      
     Date:   
         June 26, 2023   
     Source:   
         Washington University in St. Louis   
     Summary:   
         A sense of purpose in life -- whether it's a high-minded quest   
         to make a difference or a simple hobby with personal meaning --   
         can offer potent protection against loneliness, according to   
         new research.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   A new study co-authored by Patrick Hill, associate professor of   
   psychological and brain sciences, offers an important message for our   
   times: A sense of purpose in life -- whether it's a high-minded quest to   
   make a difference or a simple hobby with personal meaning -- can offer   
   potent protection against loneliness.   
      
   "Loneliness is known to be one of the biggest psychological predictors   
   for health problems, cognitive decline, and early mortality," Hill   
   said. "Studies show that it can be as harmful for health as smoking   
   or having a poor diet."  The new study, based on surveys of more than   
   2,300 adults in Switzerland, found that feelings of loneliness were less   
   common in people who reported a purposeful life, regardless of their   
   age. It was co-authored by Mathias Allemand of the University of Zurich   
   in Switzerland and Gabriel Olaru of Tilburg University in the Netherlands.   
      
   Respondents were asked to score their feelings on a lack of companionship,   
   isolation from other people, and a sense of being "left out or passed   
   over" during a four-week period. Participants also filled out the six-item   
   Life Engagement Test, which asked them to rate statements such as "there   
   is not enough purpose in my life" and "I value my activities a lot."   
   "A sense of purpose is this general perception that you have something   
   leading and directing you from one day to the next," Hill said. "It can   
   be something like gardening, supporting your family, or achieving success   
   at work."  Many of the activities that can provide a sense of purpose --   
   joining a club, volunteering at a school, playing in a sports league --   
   involve interaction with others, which is one reason why a purpose-filled   
   life tends to be less lonely. In the study, people who said they received   
   or provided social support were especially likely to report feelings   
   of purpose.   
      
   But Hill noted that there's more to fighting loneliness than simply   
   being around others. "We've all had time in our lives when we've felt   
   lonely even though we weren't actually alone." There's something about   
   having a sense of purpose that seems to fight loneliness regardless of   
   how many other people are involved, he said.   
      
   The study found a slight uptick in reports of loneliness for people in   
   their 70s and beyond, an age when a sense of purpose can be especially   
   important.   
      
   "We're trying to dispel the myth from previous generations that this   
   is simply a time for retiring and resting," Hill said. "There are   
   no downsides to finding something meaningful later in life."  Still,   
   it's important to keep in mind that a quest for purpose can be somewhat   
   self-defeating if taken too seriously. "Feeling like you need to save   
   the world can lead to existential dread and distress," Hill said. When   
   it comes to purpose and meaning, even small things can matter. "It's   
   OK if someone else thinks that your purpose is trivial, as long as it's   
   meaningful to you."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Mind_&_Brain   
                   # Perception # Numeracy # Behavior # Social_Psychology   
                   # Psychology # Intelligence # Child_Development #   
                   Child_Psychology   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Negotiation o Illusion_of_control o Anticonvulsant   
             o Early_childhood_education o Emotional_detachment o   
             Psycholinguistics o Auditory_system o Human_bonding   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Washington_University_in_St._Louis. Note: Content may be edited for   
   style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Patrick L. Hill, Gabriel Olaru, Mathias Allemand. Do associations   
      between   
         sense of purpose, social support, and loneliness differ across   
         the adult lifespan? Psychology and Aging, 2023; 38 (4): 345 DOI:   
         10.1037/pag0000733   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230626164203.htm   
      
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