Page |131 of non-familial sociality, we may now “saw the people set on the sunny add physiological benefits. A 1979 side of some high mountain, population-based study showed that there refreshing themselves with adults lacking social ties were 1.9 to 3.1 the pleasant beams of the sun, times more likely to die during a 9-year while I was shivering and follow-up than those who had more shrinking in the cold, afflicted social contacts, all else being equal (2). with frost, snow, and dark Since then, at least five population-based clouds. Methought, also, betwixt prospective studies (3) and numerous me and them, I saw a wall that smaller studies have found positive did compass about this mountain associations between social integration (6).” and either survival or improved health For chronically lonely people outcomes. The mechamisins by whieh the wall between themselves and others social integration enhances survival are is partly of theit own making and several and include improved health reflects continuous surveillance for behaviors, increased access to resources 7 : negative signals from others (5). The ane muberial gods, anc. strengitened challenge is to help lonely individuals i i inst infection (4). . TTT Ages Lot break down the barriers between Whereas sociality is a normal themselves and others and ultimately state, loneliness is an unusual state, akin return to the normal state of sociality. In to hunger, thirst, or pain (5). As with his vision, Bunyan achieved this, but those states, loneliness is unpleasant and only through great effort: serves to remind us that we should “Want this wall T thauelhit change the status quo. Therefore, myself, to go again an d again loneliness can be an adaptive motivator aif in as ] went. to seei fl for increased social surveillance and out din dcore wa or assage interaction. Unfortunately, not all b . . ¥ OF Passage, ae a y which I might enter therein, individuals succeed at achieving the but none could I find for some leve