Presentation by Eddy M. Elmer, MA
PhD Student in Social Gerontology
Human beings are fundamentally social creatures and do not fair well when isolated. Chronic loneliness—the subjective sense that the size and/or quality of one’s relationships are lacking—has been identified as one of the strongest risk factors for morbidity and mortality. Although we all experience loneliness from time-to-time and respond by seeking social connections, people who become chronically lonely find themselves unable to respond in this way. For these people, loneliness paradoxically leads to behaviour that pushes others away and further intensifies their loneliness. Drawing on research from evolution, biology, and psychology, PhD gerontology student Eddy Elmer will explain how temporary feelings of loneliness can turn into a vicious, self-defeating cycle of chronic loneliness, and what steps can be taken to break that cycle. Particular attention will be paid to those at greatest risk for chronic loneliness, such as older adults who have experienced a history of stigma and discrimination.
