The modern world is a strange illusion. Especially due to social media, we feel as if we are in a constant social situation, but we are all alone. This is not something we decide by looking around. In surveys and similar studies, most people of all ages and social classes say that they feel lonely. Moreover, some of these people actually seem quite social from the outside.
Well, for many people, the period when the real feeling of loneliness began was the COVID-19 pandemic. During the closures experienced during the pandemic period, people in different parts of the world had to be imprisoned in their homes, and there were those who saw the bottom of the well of loneliness. Unfortunately, this feeling affects not only our psychology but also our physical health, and it will sound strange, but even our risk of dying early due to loneliness increases.
Let’s start by understanding what it is; What is loneliness?
We are sure that a poet’s definition of loneliness will be completely different, but if we look at it from the perspective of psychology, loneliness is actually a state of mind. Feeling alone, unwanted and similar situations means loneliness. In other words, even if there is no concrete data, if the feelings of the person are in this direction, that person is experiencing loneliness.
If we look at a survey conducted in 2019 on the subject, it turns out that especially young people are more lonely. 25 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 27 say they have no close friends, and 22 percent say they have no friends. According to experts, the main reason for this situation is the use of social media.
It is possible to talk about two basic types of loneliness:
It is not possible to name it exactly, but we can name the two basic types of loneliness as voluntary loneliness and involuntary loneliness. Involuntary loneliness is the state of being isolated from society against one’s own will. The person involuntarily leaves the social environment, is rejected by the social environment or is excluded in some way. People who are left alone against their will are not satisfied with this situation.
On the other hand, voluntary loneliness is a situation in which a person isolates himself according to his own will. Because the person likes to spend time by himself, he does not want to connect with others and is left alone. However, unlike involuntary loneliness, this person has a social environment, gets rid of loneliness whenever he wants and continues to feel the positive effects of his environment.
Why do we feel a sense of loneliness?
Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question, because loneliness is a kind of mood, and its reasons often vary from person to person. Of course, as we mentioned in the introduction, the feeling of loneliness was a common feeling for many of us during the time the whole world was closed to homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being isolated from society for such reasons is one of the main causes of loneliness.
Volumes could be written about other causes of involuntary loneliness. Some people have too many friends but feel lonely because they don’t know anyone to listen to the same type of music. Some people’s phones don’t ring even once during the day and they feel lonely. Others are unable to communicate with other people due to their social fears and are lonely. So to sum it up, you’re lonely because you feel lonely, that’s it.
We all know more or less the psychological effects of loneliness:
It is a well-known fact that people who are left alone against their will are psychologically unhealthy. The biggest negative effect of loneliness is stress. The stress level of people who feel lonely is much higher than those who do not feel lonely.
People who feel lonely are also more likely to experience depression and anxiety. It is also known that these people, who may be suicidal, make bad decisions because of their experiences. Worse, antisocial behavior develops. Due to these developing antisocial behaviors, the person cannot get out of his loneliness.
How does being alone affect the human body? Here are the physiological effects of loneliness:
- The risk of heart disease increases.
- Brain functions are not working properly.
- The risk of premature death increases.
- The progression of different diseases becomes easier.
Increased risk of heart disease:
Unfortunately, the most common physiological negativity in people who are left alone against their will is on the heart. People with poor social relationships have a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, a 4-fold increased risk of heart failure, a 68 percent increased risk of hospitalization, and a 57 percent increased risk of being admitted to the emergency room.
Brain functions not working properly:
Since social relationships are exercises that strengthen our brain, unfortunately, our brain functions do not work as before when we stay away. Lonely people have a 50 percent higher risk of Alzheimer’s than people with healthy social relationships. Moreover, it was observed that after the occurrence of this disease, it progressed much faster in lonely people. Even if Alzheimer’s is not present, abnormal behaviors can be observed in the brain functions of lonely people.
Increased risk of premature death:
The risk of premature death is caused by conditions such as smoking, alcohol use, sedentary life, and obesity. Studies have shown that people with poor social relationships and feeling lonely have an equally high risk of premature death. In other words, the risk of dying at any moment is what a person who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day, consumes alcohol, is inactive and is obese, is the risk of dying early for a loner.
The progression of different diseases becomes easier:
Lonely people are much more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. Sleep patterns are unhealthy. Since they do not have social activities, they have a sedentary life. In other words, loneliness triggers different diseases and hinders their recovery. There is no definite result, but many studies have shown that people who feel lonely are much more likely to get cancer and their recovery process is much slower.
What should lonely people do?
- Realize that there are things you need to change.
- Participate in volunteer work.
- Focus on your existing relationships.
- Strive to develop quality relationships.
- Do not hesitate to get help.
Realize that there are things you need to change:
We have no intention of blaming anyone, but let’s sit crookedly and speak straight; If a person is experiencing a great feeling of loneliness, he should question himself and his life a little. We’re not talking about being guilty, but if something isn’t right, then something needs to be changed. For this reason, it will be a good start to go inside and make a self-criticism.
Participate in volunteer work:
I don’t have a school, I don’t have a job, I don’t have money to go to a course and if you say you are alone, you should know that there are countless volunteer works you can join. There are countless organizations in our country that work on a voluntary basis and do many important charitable works. Go and join one of these organizations based on your interests. You do well and join a social circle of people with similar interests.
Focus on existing relationships:
Of course there are exceptions, but let’s face it, none of us are exactly as alone as we feel. Surely there is someone around us. Of course, you may not want to be content with these, but if you are experiencing a heavy feeling of loneliness that affects your physiology, try to focus on these existing relationships. Don’t be stubborn, look for some middle ground.
Try to develop quality relationships:
We know it’s easy to say and hard to do, but that’s how you get out of the well of loneliness you’ve fallen into. If you don’t have a stable social life that you go to every day, you have to build it yourself. Find people with similar interests as you and share with them. Even the sharing of a few simple common topics has illuminated the dark loneliness inside you a little bit.
Do not hesitate to get help:
All that we have told up to this point are comments made on the data revealed by scientists in their studies. But we know that every person is unique and unique. For this reason, if the feeling of loneliness you feel is no longer tolerable, do not hesitate to seek help from a specialist psychologist. If you do a short internet search, you can find many experts who will help you with this at an affordable price or for free.
We talked about the negative effects of loneliness on our body, which affects not only our psychology but also our physiology. What we describe is for informational purposes only. Do not forget that you should get the most accurate and specific information about loneliness and its other effects from a specialist physician, as in all health issues.
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