Living Alone Increases Risk of Depression More Than 40%

"Published in the August issue of Frontiers in Psychiatry, a recent study by Wu and colleagues suggests that living alone is associated with a higher risk of depression.

Before discussing the research, an introduction to the psychology of loneliness follows.

The psychology of loneliness

We are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. And the COVID-19 pandemic, though not the cause, has certainly contributed to this epidemic as well.

Loneliness refers to a discrepancy between desired and achieved relationships. There are two types of loneliness:

• Social (e.g., failing to make friends).
• Emotional (failing to have satisfying intimate relationships).

Loneliness is associated with a number of tendencies and behaviors, including maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, greater social media use, stronger fear of missing out, and overspending and materialism.

Research shows loneliness is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes; for example, it is a risk factor for depression, increases pain sensitivity, and has been linked to premature death.

Feelings of loneliness, living alone, and depression

Loneliness correlates with living arrangements—specifically, with living by oneself.

Of course, due to COVID-19 infection and/or social distancing measures (e.g., lockdowns), many of us have had to temporarily live alone or apart from people we care about—such as a romantic partner, family, or friends. But more generally, living alone has been slowly becoming a new norm.

Indeed, these days there are a greater number of single-person households than there used to be. Whether due to never having married, separation, divorce, or widowhood, nearly 1 in 3 people residing in Western countries live by themselves.

Like feelings of loneliness, physical social isolation may be a risk factor for many conditions related to physical health (e.g., cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, premature mortality) and mental health, particularly depression.

Despite all of the research on the subject, few longitudinal studies have explored loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for depression, which is why Wu et al. relied on data from longitudinal studies to explore this relationship, as summarized below.

Why is social isolation linked with depression?

An important question is why living on one’s own increases the risk of depression.

There are a variety of potential explanations: Those who live alone, compared to those living with others, may be in a worse financial situation, have less social contact and social support, be in poorer physical or mental health, or have worse health habits.

The relationship between living alone and depression may be quite complex. For example, research suggests patients with a history of—or with current—serious diseases and disabling conditions (e.g., chronic pain) are more likely to become isolated and eventually develop depression. But depression itself is also likely to lead to or worsen patients’ quality of life and increase social isolation and feelings of loneliness.

Takeaway

The present research used data from nearly 124,000 individuals to investigate the link between living arrangements and mood disorders. It concluded that living alone, compared to living with others, increases the risk of depression by 42%.

This is concerning because depression lowers the quality of life, is a leading cause of disability, and has been linked, according to the authors’ review of previous research, to the “incidence of cardiovascular illness, stroke, coronary heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, hypertension, asthma, arthritis, disability, suicide, and self-harm.”

The good news is that there are effective psychological interventions and pharmacological treatments for depression, with new therapies (e.g., Botox injections, IV ketamine, magic mushrooms) being currently investigated.

As for reducing loneliness and isolation, there exist a variety of interventions—from mindfulness to robotic pets. Self-help approaches, such as developing a sense of purpose in life or adopting a pet, may also protect against loneliness and depression."

*Living alone can potentially lead to depression and it's very understandable as to why. There are so many more people living alone, but that doesn't mean they aren't prone to possible depression. Covid has only made people living alone more common. Some people are very happy living alone, but others don't feel the same way. There are a variety of ways to help to combat this possible depression, including getting a pet and practicing mindfulness. Do you live with others or alone? How does your living situation affect your mental health?*

#LivingAlone #Depression #HomeLife

Please find the full article at Psychology Today.