Loneliness and illness can make us question

Loneliness is a factor in everyday health and it becomes even more of a factor when you are ill. Whether you are recovering from an illness or you are in the midst of a serious (or not so serious) illness, loneliness can make your illness worse or last longer. People who suffer from loneliness are five times more likely to catch common illnesses such as the common cold or the flu and are three times as likely to come down with serious illnesses. Loneliness is such a strong factor because without the human connection we all strive for there is no external motivation for one to regain their health. In many cases, the lack of external motivation turns into a lack of internal motivation. Being ill and lonely can be frightening to say the least. It can also make us question our value in the world.Loneliness and illness can make us question whether we have produced anything valuable for the world to see or if we could just pass through the night without anyone missing us. Nobody wants to be forgotten, and loneliness can make us feel that way. Even when we have been recently visited by a loved one or a friend the remaining loneliness can linger and we feel starved for human companionship. Loneliness and illness are such an interconnected link that many cancer centers set up a system of visitation to help specifically decrease the incidents of loneliness for patients fighting their illnesses.