Loneliness a Leading Cause of Depression in Older Adults

Medical Xpress reports that a study in The Lancet Psychiatry found loneliness to be the cause of 18 percent of depression cases among people over 50 in England, which suggests nearly one in five cases among older adults could be prevented with it eliminated. People's subjective experiences of loneliness played a role in depression up to 12 years later, independent of more objective gauges of social isolation. "We found that whether people considered themselves to be lonely was a bigger risk factor for depression than how many social contacts and support they had," said Gemma Lewis at University College London (UCL). "The findings suggest that it's not just spending time with other people that matters, but having meaningful relationships and companionship." Depressive symptoms also worsened over time among people with greater loneliness, suggesting that loneliness was causing future depression. "Health professionals working with older people who report being lonely should know that they are at risk of depression," said UCL's Siu Long Lee. "Interventions such as social prescribing, social skills training, and psychological therapies that target negative feelings of loneliness, may be important for the mental health of lonely older adults."