Why some lonely people may need more than companionship

Edition: US - Today's top story: Why addressing loneliness in children can prevent a lifetime of loneliness in adults [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 14 April 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Loneliness is a major cause of poor health and disability in old age, and experts have long thought that providing companions to seniors can help ease their pain and improve their health. But Elizabeth Tillinghast, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, [explains why this may not be enough](. Given much adult loneliness is caused by childhood neglect, “some people,’ she writes, "may cling to social isolation because isolation is what most closely reflects their emotional experience as children.” After gut-wrenching photographs of chemical-attack victims emerged from Syria earlier this month, people around the world recoiled. President Trump even claimed the images moved him to intervene militarily. University of Oregon professors Nicole Smith Dahmen and Paul Slovic [explore the power – and limitations – of images]( when it comes to stirring people from complacency to action.. Lynne Anderson Senior Editor, Health & Medicine Top story Loneliness in adults is often a result of loneliness in childhood. From www.shutterstock.com [Why addressing loneliness in children can prevent a lifetime of loneliness in adults]( Elizabeth Tillinghast, Columbia University Medical Center Loneliness is a major cause of health problems, and many programs have aimed to alleviate it among the elderly. But it might be wise to treat loneliness at its roots, which for many is in childhood. Arts + Culture - [How much power can an image actually wield?]( Nicole Smith Dahmen, University of Oregon; Paul Slovic, University of Oregon Will recent photos of chemical attack victims in Syria provoke a short-term emotional reaction or a sustained humanitarian campaign? - [Are there too many music festivals?]( Jonathan Wynn, University of Massachusetts Amherst Music festivals have been a boon to the music industry, but now we're starting to witness some pitfalls of commercial success: consolidation and creeping conformity. Economy + Business - [How social media turned United's PR flub into a firestorm]( Anjana Susarla, Michigan State University Incidents that may have been mere hiccups a few years ago today can go viral in an instant, causing a massive backlash and leaving some of the biggest companies wrong-footed. - [“Social activism has fundamentally shifted in the age of social media.”]( Anjana Susarla Michigan State University [Read more]( [Anjana Susarla] Politics + Society - [Six questions about the French elections]( Joshua Cole, University of Michigan Get up to speed before the first round of voting on April 23. Ethics + Religion - [Bible classes in schools can lead to strife among neighbors]( Frank S. Ravitch, Michigan State University In the early 19th century Catholics were persecuted for refusing to participate in Protestant Bible reading in schools. In many schools, those opting out of Bible classes are harassed, even today. Environment + Energy - [Heat from the Atlantic Ocean is melting Arctic sea ice further eastwards than ever before]( Tom Rippeth, Bangor University The link between melting sea ice and extreme weather has been known for a while, but now it's happening further afield. From our International Editions - [New technology brings Star Wars-style desert moisture farming a step closer]( Amin Al-Habaibeh, Nottingham Trent University Scientists have found a way to pull water from the air using only energy from the sun. - [How the blockchain will transform housing markets]( Danika Wright, University of Sydney There are many hidden costs and inefficiencies in housing markets. Blockchain is poised to transform that. - [How United Airlines broke two golden rules of marketing]( Morgen Witzel, University of Exeter But standards of service are so low across the US airline industry that United may well get away with it. [Donate and keep independent journalism alive]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 625 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 USA