Grief, Support Groups, and Loneliness

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Good morning. It's Wednesday, April 8. Welcome to this week's Health & Medicine newsletter. Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here or click here to share with friends.

This week, we're exploring a difficult subject—loss. We'll first cover the complex experience of grief and how it affects our brains and bodies. We'll then walk through some of the history and specifics of what support groups are and aren't, and finally, we'll investigate the overall science of loneliness.

Do you have thoughts about this newsletter or want to share your reaction to last week's? Feel free to get in touch. Reaching out is as simple as replying to this message, or you can email me directly here. I do read every message you send. Thanks!

—Dina Fine Maron, 1440 Health & Medicine Section Editor

It Comes in Waves

Grief 101

The anguish we feel after a significant loss, such as the death of a loved one, is called grief. It's associated with symptoms such as confusion, lethargy, and apprehension about the future. These symptoms can be triggered by numerous daily life situations. Grieving is a healthy part of the human experience, and the process of grieving may vary among individuals.

Physiologically, grief may be similar to stress. It may lead to a "fight or flight" response. Over an extended period, grief can degrade overall brainpower. Grief can also put excessive stress on the heart. But joining support groups, spending time with friends, exercising, practicing a hobby, and volunteering can help individuals navigate day-to-day life and find solace after a loss.

Supporting individuals who are navigating grief can involve sending messages to let them know you're thinking of them, lending a hand with needed tasks, or just being physically present so a grieving individual isn't alone. Individuals who have experienced loss often report that acknowledging their loss—instead of avoiding any discussion of the loved one—is appreciated.

Explore everything else we've found on Grief.

Also, check out ...

> Yes, you can die from a broken heart. (Read)

> Controversial AI griefbots could conceivably change how we mourn. (Read)

> On navigating the grief of infertility. (Watch)

> Watch wild elephants "grieve" their dead. (Watch)

In partnership with Trifecta

The Science of Better Nutrition

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Learning From Others

Support groups, explained

Support groups bring together people who have navigated similar challenges. These gatherings are not the same as group therapy, which involves a small group of individuals receiving counseling from a licensed therapist. Support groups are typically free, run by a peer or unregulated facilitator, and may meet in person or virtually. The groups provide support, inspiration, and can build a sense of community and safety for individuals suffering from losses or illness.

Learning from others' experiences can help people navigate bureaucracy more effectively and gain practical tips. But support groups, unlike professional counseling, are not bound by confidentiality laws. Though they often rely on principles of trust and understanding, information shared in these gatherings may not stay private.

Though the idea of benefiting from peer experience dates back centuries, Alcoholics Anonymous, founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, is typically considered the first modern support group. It remains one of the most common and well-known support groups today, alongside Narcotics Anonymous.

Explore everything else we've found on Support Groups.

Also, check out ...

> Some bereavement support groups prohibit dating other members. (Listen)

> Support groups can offer insights into current and potential treatments. (Listen)

> Helping support others in older age is linked to longer life. (Read)

> The peer support movement may date back to 18th century France. (Read)

Alone in a Crowd

What is loneliness?

Loneliness is the gap between our actual level of social connection and our desired level of connection. Someone can experience the social isolation of loneliness even in a crowded room, and conversely, individuals may be objectively isolated but enjoy being alone. Many of us do say we're lonely: 1 in 5 Americans told Gallup in 2024 that they felt lonely for "a lot of the day yesterday."

In 2023, the then-US surgeon general proclaimed that loneliness is a health threat on par with smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily. The report concluded that the stress of loneliness can trigger the body to be on high alert, leading to health complications, including higher blood pressure and inflammation. Loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 26% and boosts the risks of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and depression.

Volunteering can be one way to combat loneliness. Feeling like you have something to offer, are appreciated, and spending time with other like-minded people with a shared sense of purpose can be very satisfying—whether it's cleaning up neighborhood trash, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or tutoring students.

Explore everything else we've found on Loneliness.

Also, check out ...

> Loneliness ages you. (Read)

> The British government established a minister for loneliness in 2018. (Read)

> See America's loneliness and disconnection—charted. (Read)

> Governments around the world are struggling to measure loneliness. (Read)

Medical Developments Spotlight

We love spending time learning about the latest medical breakthroughs and spotlighting research that piques our interest, may influence future research directions, or inform healthcare conversations. Here's what we found this week.

> Gene editing therapy leads to a huge win for sickle cell patients

New England Journal of Medicine | Rabi Hanna, Haydar Fangoul, et al. About 500,000 children worldwide are born with sickle cell disease each year. The disease causes health complications, including extreme pain. But 27 of 28 patients who received an experimental gene therapy that modified their own blood-forming stem cells had no painful episodes after the treatment. The therapy corrects the mutation that causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped. *Note: Some users may encounter a paywall beyond the abstract. (Read)

> A common antidepressant helps combat meth use

JAMA Psychiatry | Rebecca McKetin, Steven Shoptaw, et al. A randomized clinical trial of about 340 people in Australia found that the antidepressant mirtazapine helps reduce methamphetamine use among adults who otherwise were typically taking the stuff daily. Those who took the antidepressant used meth, on average, several days fewer each month than those who took a placebo. There are no other approved drugs to help combat meth use disorder. (Read)

> Lead exposure hurts our heart health—even when the exposure was long ago
JAMA | Jeffrey D. Stanaway, Sandra Spearman, et al. Researchers examined 25 years of data from 42,000 people to study environmental lead exposure and cardiovascular deaths. The data collection began in 1988, when lead exposure from gas and paint was already declining, but based on extrapolations from their findings, they estimate roughly 3.5 million deaths in 2023—primarily from cardiovascular causes—were likely due to past lead exposure. (Read)

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Built on What Actually Works

Nutrition research points to the same foundation. Macro-balanced, high-protein meals made with real food, and consistency over time are linked to better health outcomes.

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Please support our sponsors!

Best of the Week

We curate hundreds of resources into 1440 Topics each week. Here are some of our favorites from the world of health and medicine.

> Learn about the "Cicada" COVID-19 variant spreading in the US.

> Meet Foundayo—the second FDA-approved GLP-1 pill.

> West Virginia is tackling prior authorization obstacles.

> The American Heart Association's clash with the Trump administration over meat.

> Polygraphs are flawed, but what are the physiological signals for truth-telling?

> Why your brain feels tired after a day spent indoors.

> On the family that decided to have their stomachs removed.

> Seasonal allergies don't always show up in childhood.

> Listen to how we spread stress—and how we can shift away from it.

> A January space emergency left a seasoned astronaut unable to speak, literally.

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Grief, Support Groups, and Loneliness