A new study shows that loneliness is not just an emotional problem—it can actually cause physical pain.
Researchers from City St George’s, University of London, studied people from 139 countries and discovered that feeling lonely is strongly linked to feeling pain in the body.
The study also found that feeling lonely often goes hand-in-hand with feeling very distressed or upset.
The researchers looked at data from more than 256,000 people aged 15 to 100. This information came from the Gallup World Poll in 2023 and 2024.
They found that people who said they were lonely were more than twice as likely to report feeling physical pain compared to people who did not feel lonely. These lonely individuals were also much more likely to have other health problems and to feel mental distress.
The study showed that psychological distress was the biggest reason for the link between loneliness and pain. In fact, more than 60% of the connection between loneliness and pain could be explained by this mental distress.
Other reasons included physical health issues (about 19%) and social or economic issues like low income or lack of education (about 14%).
The research also found that lonely people were more likely to have only basic education, to work part-time while wanting a full-time job, or to be unemployed. They usually earned less money than people who were not lonely.
One surprising finding was that this link between loneliness and pain was seen in people of all ages, not just older adults. However, older people were more likely to experience loneliness, pain, and health problems overall. Women also seemed to be more affected than men by this link between loneliness and pain.
Dr. Lucía Macchia, one of the study’s authors, said the results show that loneliness and physical pain are closely connected, mainly because of mental distress. She added that the relationship between loneliness and pain was different from one country to another, which shows how important cultural background can be.
The study also found that nearly 1 in 4 people said they felt lonely the day before the survey. Many lonely people were single, divorced, or widowed. They also tended to earn less and have fewer educational or job opportunities.
But even some people who had friends or chances to meet others still reported feeling lonely and in pain. This suggests that loneliness isn’t just about being around others—it’s about how people feel inside.
Interestingly, even in very poor countries where people reported high levels of loneliness and pain, the results didn’t always follow patterns based on wealth. This means that things like cultural values, how people connect with each other, and what they expect from relationships may be just as important as money or education.
The authors of the study say that we should treat loneliness as a serious global health issue. Solutions shouldn’t just help people make more friends—they should also reduce emotional stress and make sure people have better job and education opportunities.
In the end, the study shows that loneliness is complex. It can lead to pain, poor health, and distress, and it affects people of all ages around the world. The researchers believe that future studies should continue to look at different cultures and follow people over time to better understand how to help those who are lonely.
The study is published in Scientific Reports.
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