By Deborah Cohen
Lonelinessis thought to be rising around the world and how often you see friends andfamily could have a significant effect on health.
世界上越来越多的人感到孤独，与家人朋友会面的频率会对一个人的健康有着重大的影响。
Doctors have known forsome time that loneliness is bad for the mind. It leads to mental healthproblems like depression, stress, anxiety, and a lack of confidence.
据医生所知孤独对精神有害，它会导致人的心理问题如抑郁，压力，焦虑，和缺乏自信。
But there's growingevidence that social isolation is connected with an increased risk of physicalill health as well.
但是越来越多的证据显示社会隔绝也会增加健康不佳的风险。
There are suggestions itcan make some diseases both more likely to occur and more likely to be fatal.
有迹象表明孤独很可能会引起某些致命疾病的发生。
In 2006, a study of2,800 women who had breast cancer showed those who saw few friends or familywere as much as five times more likely to die of their disease than women withmany social contacts.
二零零六年，在一项针对两千八百名女性乳腺癌患者的研究中显示，那些不常与家人朋友见面的女性比社交活跃的女性因乳腺癌病逝的几率要大五倍。
Researchers are tryingto figure out what loneliness does to the body which can lead to illness anddeath.
研究人员努力尝试想要得知孤独对人体造成的影响，究竟是什么样的影响会导致疾病的产生和死亡。
Psychologists atUniversity of Chicago and Ohio State University have shown that people who aresocially isolated develop changes in their immune system, which leads to acondition called chronic inflammation.
美国芝加哥和俄亥俄州立大学的心理学家表示与社会隔绝的人，在他们的免疫体统中会产生变化，这些变化会导致一种叫做慢性炎症的病状。
Short term inflammationis necessary for us to heal after a cut or an infection, but if theinflammation persists in the long-term it can contribute towards cardiovasculardisease and cancer.
短期的炎症必需要治愈，如小伤口或是感染。但是炎症如果长期存在就会引发心血管病和癌症。
At the University ofChicago, scientists found that lonely people find everyday activities morestressful than those who are not socially isolated.
在芝加哥大学，科学家发现与社交活跃的人相比，孤独者感到日常活动压力过重。
They measured levels ofcortisol, a hormone that's produced when we are stressed, in a wide range ofhealthy people in the morning and evening.
他们检测了皮质醇的含量，皮质醇是人在紧张的时候所产生的一种荷尔蒙，各类健康的人白天和黑夜都会产生皮质醇。
Lonely people releasedmore cortisol. The scientists suggest that too much of the hormone causesinflammation and disease.
孤独者会产生更多的皮质醇。科学家表明过多的赫尔们会导致炎症和疾病。
The latest work fromOhio State University looked at levels of inflammation in response to stress inlonely people. Dr Lisa Jaremka compared women who have survived breast cancerwith healthy volunteers.
俄亥俄州立大学的最新研究关注于孤独人群的炎症程度。LisaJaremka 博士将乳腺癌的治愈患者和健康的志愿者进行了对比。
She gave theparticipants a well-known stress test, called the Trier Social Stress Test, inwhich they had to give an impromptu speech explaining why they were the bestcandidate for a job, in front of a stony-faced panel.
她对参与者施行了著名的特里尔社会应激测试，在测试中参与者必须在一排面无表情的考官前做一段即兴的演讲来解释为什么他们是这个工作的最佳人选。
Weneed to find ways to help lonely people. Unfortunately we can't tell anyone togo out and find someone to love you”
我们需要找到帮助孤独者的方法。不幸的是我们无法告诉他们中的任何一个走出家门，找人来爱你。
Dr Lisa Jaremka OhioState University
俄亥俄州立大学Lisa Jaremka 博士
They then had to performa mental arithmetic task before the same panel.
然后他们必须在同一考官面前做一项心算的任务。
Loneliness tests andblood samples showed that in both groups, the lonelier people had higher levelsof inflammation.
孤独测验和血液样本显示在两组中，较为孤独的人体内的炎症含量较高。
Dr Jaremka said:"If you're lonely you can have raised inflammation regardless of having achronic medical condition.
Jaremka 博士说：“如果你感到孤单寂寞，无论是否患有慢性疾病，人体内的炎症程度会升高。”
"It was a strugglefor a long time for physicians to recognise the importance of loneliness inhealth. We now know how important it is to understand patients' socialworlds."
“对于内科医生来说，认识到孤独对人健康的重要性是个长期的斗争。我们现在知道了解病人的社交界是多么的重要。”
The number of people whoare likely to be lonely is rising all over the world. Many of these areelderly, left by themselves after their partners have died or their familieshave moved away.
全世界范围内孤独者的人数在不断增加。其中的很多是上了年纪的人，在父母都已去世或是家人移居到外地之后，他们过着独居的生活。
Half of over 75 yearolds in the UK live alone, and one in 10 suffer intense loneliness.
在英国七十五岁的老人有一半以上是独居的，他们中十个有一个感到极具的孤独。
Dr Jaremka said:"Being lonely means not feeling connected or cared for, it's not aboutbeing physically alone.
Jaremka 博士说：“独单寂寞意味着感到孤立无援或是无人照顾，不仅仅是一个人生活那么简单。”
"We need to findways to help lonely people. Unfortunately we can't tell anyone to go out andfind someone to love you. We need to create support networks."
“我们需要找到帮助孤独着的方法。不幸的是我们无法告诉他们中的任何一个走出家门，找人来爱你。我们需要建立支持的人际网。”联系客服
