Research suggests social isolation may be as bad for our health as hypertension, obesity

Humans are social animals. We might define ourselves as introverts, but the survival of our species rests on safety in community. Loneliness unleashes excess stress hormones, causing an elevated heart rate, and increased blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Loneliness also reduces the number of antibodies we produce to fight infection and may make us more susceptible to cancer. Even vaccine response has been shown to be less robust in socially isolated individuals.