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Loneliness Effects on Health
It is not surprising that loneliness effects on health can be devastating and widespread. The Harvard Graduate School of Education estimated that up to 40 million Americans experience loneliness every year (click here for the article).
Feeling lonely, isolated, or disconnected from those around you can be a very uncomfortable experience. But what many don’t seem to understand is that loneliness can lead to very serious health issues. Loneliness can make it very easy for an individual to spiral out of control and lose the sense of who they are.
What Is Loneliness And How It Differs From Being Alone
One of the things humans experience in life is the dreaded feeling of loneliness. Loneliness is more of a feeling rather than physically being alone. It has many different root causes but the severe ones come from past experiences and traumas.
We can’t control loneliness because we can still experience it while surrounded by others. So why is loneliness occurring when we are not physically alone?
The main reasons we could experience loneliness are because there was a big change in our life. Because we feel like we can’t connect to those around us on a deep level. Or perhaps our past experiences have wired our brains to feel lonely in most situations. And this is how loneliness can lead to health issues.
4 Types Of Loneliness
Loneliness is a feeling of sadness or dissatisfaction from being alone. It’s also known as the feeling of not having someone to share your life with. Many people are normally faced with involuntary loneliness and it can affect anyone, even the young or the old. Some think this feeling is temporary, but those who experience different types of loneliness feel otherwise. They will tell you that it’s not something that usually goes away quickly over time.
Emotional
Emotional loneliness comes from the feeling of being disconnected from the people around you. It can occur even when you’re surrounded by others, such as family, friends, and co-workers. If you have ever felt like no one understands you or that you don’t have any to turn to for support, you may be experiencing emotional loneliness
Emotional loneliness like other types of loneliness can be caused by various triggers. Some of these triggers include:
- Being neglected as a child
- Any form of trauma
- A substance abuse
One of the biggest causes of having that feeling of disconnect in someone’s relationship is due to childhood neglect or trauma. These feelings have been deep-rooted in formative years so now the feelings are starting to grow as they get older.
One of the best ways to remedy traumatic experiences is being able to find a family member you can open up to about your past. It can be incredibly difficult to do so but it can help you overcome the feeling of loneliness.
For our section on Emotional Health articles, click here .
Social
Social loneliness is the feeling of isolation from others or feeling like one does not belong in a group. It can happen when an individual has few friends or feels like their relationships are not meaningful.
Social loneliness can have a large effect on someone when they have just moved to a new city. They may not know too many people yet and if they have they may not feel completely accepted yet.
It is more likely that someone who is shy or introverted will suffer from social loneliness than someone who is not. It is typically harder for these people to go out of their way to make new friends. And when they do, harder to feel like they made the right ones .
Situational
Did you recently go through a major change in life? Maybe you got a new job, moved to a new city, or recently went through a divorce. Did you notice a sense of loneliness in your new situation? If you did, you are experiencing situational loneliness and it is occurring due to the specific situation you are experiencing.
Don’t freak out, situational loneliness in most cases is a temporary feeling and can be resolved by doing simple things such as making new friends. In the meantime, you should try to keep yourself busy and make sure you reach out to the people you love to keep that temporary feeling of loneliness away.
Chronic
Chronic loneliness is a type of loneliness that lasts for a longer period of time. It can come from many things such as social isolation or a mental illness.
Chronic loneliness has the biggest potential to have a negative impact on both your physical and mental health because of its severity. It can increase your risk of depression, anxiety, and even lead to premature mortality.
The best way to combat chronic loneliness is by seeking a professional like a therapist or joining a support group. They know your situation and can help walk you through the journey of getting rid of this feeling.
Loneliness Can Lead To Poor Habits
The Mayo Clinic says that when someone feels alone, they begin a never-ending search for comfort and pleasure. Someone can find pleasure in foods that contain high amounts of refined sugar leading to poor diet choices. They could even just simply lock themselves in their homes because they feel as if they can’t connect with others.
And when people feel lonely, they start to eat more, they get lazy and stop working out, and their sleep starts to suffer because of these behavioral changes. They start staying up late thinking about things leading to mental issues while also experiencing fragmented sleep patterns because of their new diet choices.
Loneliness Can Lead To Depression
From the overlapping effects of loneliness, an individual can easily start to feel depressed. Especially when one experiences a life-changing experience such as losing a loved one, it can be very easy for them to slip into a depressive state.
When lonely someone can have an increase in cortisol levels which is our stress hormone. This can intensify the feeling of depression and anxiety and make it harder for someone to work towards getting better.
Chronic Loneliness Is Linked To Risk Of Dementia
Dementia and other cognitive issues are more likely to occur in elderly people who are lonely. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around one-fourth of adults over the age of 65 are thought to be socially isolated, while more than one-third of people over the age of 45 report feeling lonely.
Because they are more prone to experience issues including living alone, losing friends or family, having a chronic condition, and hearing loss, older persons are more likely to experience loneliness and social isolation.
And the proportion of elderly persons who feel lonely has grown recently. According to NYU Langone Health, the likelihood of developing dementia is three times higher than what may be anticipated based on age and genetic risk factors.
Additionally, they discovered that loneliness was linked to diminished executive function, which refers to a set of mental activities like planning, decision-making, cognitive flexibility, and attention control, as well as brain changes that suggest an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
One way to help our loved ones prevent the risk of dementia is by visiting them as often as we can. The older they are the more wisdom they have so the more we can learn from a younger age. And if you are experiencing loneliness yourself, this could be very beneficial for both parties.
Next Steps
It is important to be aware of the effects of loneliness on mental health and to take steps to guard against them. These steps include staying connected with friends and family, pursuing hobbies and activities that you enjoy, and getting involved in your community. When we take care of ourselves mentally and socially, we are better able to withstand the challenges that life throws our way. If you are feeling lonely, reach out to friends, family, or your community for support.
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