John Cacioppo’s research shows that when you are connected to others you not only feel good but you also feel secure. Likewise, you don’t just feel bad when you are isolated, but you also feel insecure. While you may not actually be physically threatened when you are alone, your mind-body system, programmed by millennia of evolution, starts to fire warning signals. This is precisely why loneliness is associated with elevated stress hormones, high blood pressure, and poor sleep quality. In many ways, loneliness can look a lot like anxiety.
