Italian Health Institute Highlights Friendship's Life‑Extending Benefits

Modern research likens friendship to a vaccine, noting that physical contact such as hugging triggers a cascade of oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin that improves both mental and physical health. The Institute Superiore di Sanità reported that chronic social isolation is linked to roughly 870,000 deaths worldwide each year – about 100 deaths per hour – a risk the World Health Organization compares to smoking 15.5 cigarettes daily.

Researcher Ilaria Lega of the institute’s Centre for Disease Prevention emphasized that one in six people globally feels lonely, with higher rates among youth and in low‑income countries. The "Free Hugs" movement, which began in Australia, has spread to cities such as Rimini, illustrating how simple human contact can counteract isolation.

These findings underscore the public‑health importance of maintaining social networks and encouraging face‑to‑face interaction.