Everyone feels lonely from time to time — after, say, a move to a new school or city, when a child leaves for college, or following the loss of a spouse.
It becomes “a personality trait, something that’s pretty sticky,” said Dr. Ellen Lee, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.
Here’s what experts know about how chronic loneliness affects the brain, and some strategies to address it.
How does loneliness change the brain?
Experts think loneliness may have emerged as a unique type of stress signal to prompt us to seek companionship.
Persons:
”, Ellen Lee
Organizations:
University of California
Locations:
San Diego