Key points:

• Dr Stephanie Cacioppo puts loneliness in the same category as thirst — a signal that can be dealt with through our actions
• She says her goal is not to stop loneliness but to regulate the way it affects the mind and body
• A medical ethicist says a pill to treat loneliness is intrinsically wrong-headed and unethical

Just as we reach for a drink when we are thirsty or dehydrated, we might be able to take a pill to deal with the consequences of feeling lonely in the future.

“Like thirst, loneliness is a biological signal that has evolved to protect our survival,” she says.

 

via Could the cure for loneliness be as easy as popping a pill? – Analysis & Opinion – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)