VeryWell Mind: Loneliness and Mental Health Distress Have a Cyclical Relationship
"A new research study conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) has found a direct link between the impacts of loneliness and greater mental health distress. Researchers conducted interviews with 59 adults with mental health concerns in the UK, and found that mental health distress can impact chronic loneliness, which refers to feeling lonely often or always.
Understanding the Research
Stigma Impacts Mental Illness and Loneliness
Psychiatrist and behavioral health medical director at Community Health of South Florida Inc., Howard Pratt, DO, says, “Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety for some people are a catalyst for isolation. For these people, it’s like being knocked down before you can even get up.”
"Loneliness and isolation can become a form of self-neglect. Just like we need self-care and time to ourselves, we also need to be engaging our community to have a sense of purpose," he says.
Pratt highlights, "There is a stigma associated with mental health issues, particularly when it comes to mental health and isolation. This stigma often stems from others misinterpreting that isolation."
Pratt explains that when a person does realize that they have more or less retreated from loved ones, it is important to start the journey back, which may mean communicating that they have been going through a rough time, as well as seeking professional help as needed.
Expecting family and friends to provide sufficient support to promote mental health may strain relationships, according to Pratt.
Social Interaction Is Essential
Julian Lagoy, MD, a psychiatrist with Mindpath Health, says, "Mental health issues do have a significant impact on our social life, and can make it harder for someone to make true friendships."
"This difficulty can lead to loneliness, which can lead to mental health issues. Human beings are social creatures and we are meant to be around other human beings," he explains.
Lagoy highlights, "There is stigma with loneliness and mental health in our society. To break this cycle, people can be more open with their illness, so those who are suffering realize that they are not alone."
People of certain cultures may be more at risk for loneliness compared to other cultures and ethnicities, according to Lagoy.
While medications can help patients who are lonely, Lagoy notes that connection to others is needed.
Early Intervention Needed for Loneliness
Adult and geriatric psychiatrist and director of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Pacific Brain Health Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, David A. Merrill, MD, PhD, says, “The common core of different anxiety disorders is fear-based avoidance.
"If a person has one or more negative social experiences of perceived failure or embarrassment, this may lead them to decline future offers to connect."
"Repeated avoidance of social activities leads to diminishment of our relationships over time. This can evolve into diagnosable and debilitating mental health conditions such as social phobia or agoraphobia," he says.
Safe and supportive social interactions are key to long-term mental health and well-being, according to Merrill
Similar to prior research, Merrill notes that these findings show that chronic loneliness plays a significant role in mental health distress.
"Early intervention may play a significant role in combating the effects of loneliness on mental health in the short term," he says.
For those struggling to connect with others, Merrill notes that it can be helpful to schedule structured group activities, such as nature-based experiences like hiking, sports teams, or exercise classes.
"Taking up culture-based activities like music, dance, photography, or art classes and events can be another safe and rewarding way to connect with others. Life-long learning through ongoing course work and also volunteering to help others are reliable ways to keep social experiences in your day to day experiences."
Stigma Can Be a Barrier
If someone is not experiencing consistent connection or attachment to a safe person, it can be detrimental to mental health, according to Logid.
In her practice, Logid notes a significant increase in depression and anxiety in children and teens who were mandated to attend school virtually and professionals who began and continue working from home.
Breaking the cycle of loneliness starts with an awareness of how important social connections are to mental health.
"If you are suffering with loneliness, start with reaching out to someone you trust. Feeling alone in the midst of mental health struggles is part of why it is so difficult. You are not alone, and you are valuable enough to seek and get help, and find your community."
Read the full article here!
Reflection:
Was there a period in your life where you felt completely alone? How did that affect your mental health at the time? How did you cope?
*I felt quite lonely when I migrated to a new country. It was hard leaving my family and old friends behind. Thankfully, I've been able to make a couple of friends to whom I'm extremely grateful for. The loneliness was unbearable for the first week where I called my family non-stop and bawling my eyes out. My mental health was in shambles. I'm so glad I met the friends I have now.*
#Loneliness #Isolation #Relationships #MentalHealth
@comfortableNight4463
I do remember this period in my life, it was during high school and I was struggling quite a bit with making new friends at school and it ended up making me feel lonely when everybody had their “BFF” while I had no one to be with during lunch and breaks. I started to instead of being with girls, I became friends with the guys in my class since they usually hung out as a bigger group as opposed to the girls who often were pairs of “two-two”. I formed really strong friendships with the guys and it also helped that I shared common interests like sports and video games. Before I became friends with the guys, my mental health really took a toll and I decided to do something about it and befriended the guys instead.
@comfortableNight4463
This vicious cycle of loneliness and mental health distress is definitely real. Often when we're in a mental situation we might hold off social interaction or act differently in social settings that cause us to feel more lonely. When we feel more lonely we find ourselves exacerbating our mental health distress and so on..