Avoiding Isolation

Reach out to a friend or family member to show your support.

The English poet John Dunne famously wrote “no man is an island entire of itself.”¹⁴⁶ This couldn’t be more true for heart patients, as studies have shown the effects of supportive social relationships, or lack thereof, on this group. ^28,36

In one study, researchers found a threefold increase in future cardiac events in heart attack patients with low levels of emotional support.²⁸ In another study of heart attack survivors, after six months the rate of recurrent events (another heart attack or cardiac death) was greater in those living alone compared to those living with others.³⁶

People with positive relationships, such as strong ties to family during childhood and solid bonds with a spouse or close friends during adulthood, tend to have lower stress than people without these types of interactions. In contrast, people who are socially isolated have been found to have higher blood pressure, higher blood levels of chemicals that instruct the body to increase the heart rate, and disruptions in their cellular and antibody immune functions.³⁷

If you are feeling isolated, there are many things you can do to expand your support system and stay connected. For example, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you start by making a list of all the people you can call – think of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and healthcare professionals.³⁸ AHA also suggests learning about community and social service resources that can help you with social needs.³⁸

Group therapy may also be a good option. Recent research has found that group therapy for recovering heart patients improves psychological well-being and increases survival rates in the first three years of recovery.³⁹

A cardiac rehabilitation program may be a good way to meet new people who are going through the same thing you are. Other ways to reduce social isolation include volunteering or joining a support group such as Mended Hearts which has local, community-based chapters throughout the country. ¹³⁶

Also, consider talking to your doctor about where to access these resources – and remember that social networks take time to develop, so don’t give up on the first try.

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