Humans are inherently social creatures who need connections to thrive mentally and physically. However, in modern times, many people find themselves socially isolated or lonely due to various reasons. Understanding the effects of social isolation on mental health is crucial, as it can have devastating impacts if left unaddressed.
Social isolation refers to a lack of social connections, contacts, and communication with others. It differs from loneliness, which is more of a perceived lack of meaningful connections. Both social isolation and loneliness can negatively affect one’s mental health in various ways.
The effects of social isolation & loneliness on mental health can be wide, ranging from increased stress, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, PTSD, substance abuse, and even suicide ideation or attempts.
What are The Effects of Social Isolation & Loneliness on Mental Health?
Some major negative effects of social isolation & loneliness on mental health include:
✔️ Increased Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Lack of social connections robs people of emotional support systems that help buffer stress. This can lead to elevated stress levels over time. Prolonged activation of stress responses can develop into anxiety disorders or clinical depression. Research shows that perceived social isolation is associated with increased production of the stress hormone cortisol.
Higher rates of anxiety and depression are seen among socially isolated groups like the elderly, single parents, bullied teens, hospitalized patients, and people living with HIV. Loneliness from losing a loved one also increases the risk of depression.
✔️ Cognitive Decline
Humans need social connections to stimulate their minds and boost cognitive reserve. Social isolation and loneliness can both accelerate cognitive decline and increase dementia risk in elders. Loneliness doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s.
A 2020 study found lonely people tend to have poorer working memory and faster cognitive decline over a 2-year period. Socially engaged lifestyles help maintain cognitive functions like learning, attention, recall, and processing of information.
✔️ Increased Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is linked to myriad health issues like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and impaired immunity. Research reveals that social isolation and loneliness also spark inflammation in the body.
Older adults who feel lonely or isolated show higher levels of inflammatory compounds like C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and interleukin-6 (IL-6). This demonstrates how one’s perception of their social connections impacts biology.
✔️ Higher Mortality Rates
The cumulative effects of social isolation & loneliness can be deadly. Several studies associate social isolation and loneliness with higher mortality rates. A 2016 meta-analysis of 70 independent studies found that social isolation, loneliness, or living alone increased the risk of mortality by 29%.
Another meta-analysis showed that social isolation increased mortality risk by 32%, on par with smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Isolated or lonely people are also more likely to commit suicide. These findings highlight how social connections are a lifeline for long-term health.
✔️ Increased Substance Abuse
People who feel lonely or isolated often turn to substance use as an unhealthy coping mechanism. Using alcohol or drugs gives a temporary illusion of connection. But in the long run, it only serves to mask mental health issues caused by a lack of support networks.
Studies reveal increased heavy drinking among isolated older adults. Socially isolated teenagers are also much more likely to start binge drinking alone. The elderly and incarcerated populations see heightened drug abuse and loneliness too. Tackling isolation and loneliness itself would help limit these downstream issues.
Onset of PTSD Symptoms
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) involves dealing with intense trauma and difficulty integrating back into “normal” life. Social support is thus vital for trauma recovery. However, isolation prevents people from seeking help to process traumatic memories.
Sexual assault survivors often avoid others out of shame or fear. But this prevents emotional healing, allowing PTSD symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, hypervigilance, anger, etc. to emerge. Veterans also need connections as they transition back from combat zones. Without support systems, trauma manifests in self-destructive ways.
We saw how loneliness and social isolation affect our health. Catching isolation early before it translates into declining health is crucial.
Signs You Are Isolating Yourself
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to find ourselves drifting into a state of social isolation. While occasional solitude can be beneficial, prolonged isolation can have severe consequences for our mental and emotional well-being. Recognizing the signs of self-isolation early on is crucial to preventing further withdrawal and potential negative impacts on our health. Look out for these signs of social isolation disorder:
- Declining social invitations frequently.
- Avoid social gatherings and events.
- Canceling plans you’ve made with others.
- A shrinking social circle with limited regular interactions.
- Neglecting personal appearance and grooming.
- Spending most of your time alone at home.
- Feeling disconnected from others and not part of a community.
- Ignoring or avoiding phone calls, messages, and emails from friends and family.
- Difficulty initiating or maintaining conversations.
- A persistent sense of loneliness, sadness, or emptiness despite being alone.
If you recognize these signs in yourself, it’s important to take steps to reconnect with others and rebuild your social connections. Seeking professional help, joining support groups, or engaging in community activities can be effective ways to combat social isolation and improve your overall well-being.
Conclusion
Humans are social beings who inherently need meaningful connections, not just to thrive but also to ensure good mental health. However, various socio-economic reasons today lead many people to be isolated or lonely enough to impact their well-being. Understanding the effects of social isolation & loneliness on mental health is key to addressing them.
As seen in this article, a lack of social connections can negatively affect people across cognitive, emotional, behavioral, biological, and social domains of health. From increased stress, anxiety, depression, dementia risk, inflammation, mortality rates, substance abuse, PTSD symptoms, and more, social isolation wreaks havoc on nearly every facet of wellness. It can manifest differently based on one’s age, gender, past trauma, community, and reasons for isolation. But the end result is increasingly poor health and quality of life.
The good news is that isolation can be prevented and loneliness can be mitigated, even for those lacking close social ties. Maintaining community engagement, starting meaningful hobbies, allowing help-seeking behavior, and not judging others are all small ways to cultivate social wellness for everyone. In a disconnected world, building social capital and a culture of caring for one another is more necessary than ever.
The key question is: how can each of us help reverse the silent epidemic of isolation and loneliness to curb the incidence of mental health issues?
References
- Donovan NJ, et al. (2017). Loneliness, depression, and cognitive function in older U.S. adults. DOI:
http://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4495 - Malcolm, M., et al. (2019). Loneliness and social isolation causal association with health-related lifestyle risk in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6366024/
