Being nice to people saves lives, according to authoritative research just published by the Australian National University.
Psychologists in Canberra compared the mental health of people as the COVID-19 lockdown started with their mental health across a similar period last year, and found that loneliness had increased.
But they also found that lonely people who were shown small acts of kindness - like a simple wave or a smile in the morning - had fewer problems than those not shown such kindnesses.
"Data has shown us that loneliness is a killer - it can be as harmful as heavy smoking for our health," Dr Tegan Cruwys of the ANU's Research School of Psychology said.
"But waving hello as people are out walking can make a huge difference."
Relationships Australia in the ACT also found that the lockdown had made people feel much more anxious.
Physical and mental health worsened and financial pressure increased for a third of respondents in its survey. A fifth of respondents said there was more family conflict.
"More than half of all respondents reported less engagement and connection to their community," the research found.
Loneliness is a killer - it can be as harmful as heavy smoking for our health.
Dr Tegan Cruwys, ANU Psychologist
"It's important that we feel a sense of belonging," Relationships Australia ACT chief executive Alison Brook said. "It can be as little as a small gesture between neighbours."
Dr Cruwys, who did the ANU research, said that lonely people really appreciated small gestures. "It's the biggest thing in their lives," she said.
"What is most important is that people feel a sense of belonging."
Dr Cruwys has also conducted research on the happiness of older people. She found that those with the deepest mental problems were not always the poorest.
"Connecting to the community was four times more important for mental health outcomes for retirees than the state of their finances," she said.
"While a lot of effort goes into preparing retirees to manage their financial future, most people often don't receive any support in managing their social future."
Dr Cruwys said that other research indicated that being friendly to strangers was also welcomed more than you might think.
Two American researchers experimented, with the help of train passengers enlisted to talk to the stranger sitting next to them.
"Most thought that talking would lead to the least pleasant commute," Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder wrote.
"However, when we actually carried out the experiment, those randomly assigned to talk had the most pleasant commute.
"Our commuters estimated that only about 40 per cent of their fellow train passengers would be willing to talk to them. Yet every participant in our experiment who actually tried to talk to a stranger found the person sitting next to them was happy to chat.
"Thinking others aren't interested in talking, or won't like you, are the very things that will keep you from making contact."
.
