This nasal spray can be the cure for loneliness

A splash of the so-called “love hormone” could be the key to easing lingering feelings of loneliness.

In a 2014 study, a team of European and Israeli researchers tested whether oxytocin, the hormone released when people bond, hug or feel connected, could help bridge the gap for those struggling with social isolation.

The results? An oxytocin nasal spray significantly reduced participants’ acute feelings of loneliness, especially during group therapy sessions, even several months after treatment.

In the study, 78 men and women were given a dose of oxytocin 30 minutes before weekly group therapy sessions.

While the hormone did not drastically affect long-term measures such as overall perceived loneliness, quality of life or stress, participants who received oxytocin reported feeling less lonely in the short term compared to those who received a placebo.

Notably, those who received an extra dose of the hormone also found it easier to bond with others.

“Oxytocin was able to strengthen positive relationships with other group members and reduce acute feelings of loneliness early on,” said Jana Lieberz, a faculty member at Germany’s University of Bonn and senior author of the paper. “Therefore it may be useful to support patients with this early in psychotherapy.”

Despite the positive results, researchers caution against viewing oxytocin as a magic bullet. They also pointed out that therapy is not always necessary to reduce feelings of loneliness.

However, they noted that the study suggests that oxytocin may one day be used to play a supportive role in therapeutic settings. Further study is needed to determine whether these short-term benefits can translate into lasting change.

The feel-good hormone that can help — and hurt

Oxytocin, often called the “cuddle hormone,” is produced in the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

Positive physical connections such as hugs, kisses and sexual intimacy have all been shown to trigger the release of the hormone. Other pleasurable activities, such as exercise, listening to music or spending time with animals, have also been shown to increase oxytocin levels.

Because it has been linked to building relationships and positive feelings, there is a growing interest in using oxytocin as a treatment for various mental health conditions.

Research suggests that elevated levels of the hormone may contribute to a better mood and reduce anxiety by calming the brain’s fear center, the amygdala. Oxytocin has also been linked to a decrease in stress hormones such as cortisol, leading to a calming effect.

“Scientists have suggested that oxytocin may play a role in stress by interfering with the fear fight and flight response of the sympathetic nervous system—so that the person under threat can stand their ground instead of fight or flight,” Dr. Deborah Lee, a sexual. and reproductive health specialist, told Live Science.

But oxytocin isn’t always the cure-all is made up. In fact, its effects can be unpredictable.

Depending on the social environment and emotional context, research suggests that oxytocin can increase emotional sensitivity. When people experience negative interactions or have excessively high levels of the hormone, it can sometimes cause anxiety, rather than provide relief.

“We thought this is the kind of hormone that always makes people feel good and happy, and it’s really not,” Lily Brown, director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania, told HealthCentral. . “It actually seems to heighten our attention to salient cues, positive or negative.”

A growing crisis

The timing of research into the effects of oxytocin on loneliness could not be more urgent, as social isolation continues to plague the United States. The problem, already growing, was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns that followed, forcing millions of people into extended periods of isolation.

According to a 2024 survey by the American Psychiatric Association, nearly 30% of American adults reported feeling lonely at least once a week in the past year, and 10% said they felt lonely every day. Young people were particularly at risk.

The stakes are high. In 2023, then-US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a public health crisis, warning that it is as dangerous as smoking or obesity.

Studies show that loneliness increases the risk of premature death, while contributing to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, addiction, dementia and high blood pressure. The physical toll doesn’t end there: elevated stress hormones from loneliness have also been shown to lead to constriction of blood vessels and increased blood pressure.

Mentally, the effects are just as devastating. Loneliness has been shown to increase the risk of depression, anxiety and even suicide.