Hawkley points to evidence linking perceived social isolation with adverse health consequences including depression, poor sleep quality, impaired executive function, accelerated cognitive decline, poor cardiovascular function and impaired immunity at every stage of life.
1 Indeed, feeling insufficiently connected to others is associated with profound and lasting negative consequences on physical and mental health, even leading to increased mortality.
Loneliness raises levels of stress hormones and blood pressure. It undermines regulation of the circulatory system so that the heart muscle works harder and the blood vessels are subject to damage by blood flow turbulence.
Too much time alone is bad for our physical health. Studies have found that social isolation and loneliness can increase the likelihood of mortality by up to 30%.
The more lonely you've been over your life, the more likely you are to have conditions that affect your heart health: obesity, high blood pressure, and bad cholesterol levels, for example. And women who are lonely may be more likely to get coronary heart disease.
Summary: Social isolation is linked to alterations in brain structure and cognitive deficits. Additionally, social isolation can increase the risk of developing dementia as a person ages.
Not only does socialization play an important role in cognitive function, it also is necessary for maintaining your mental health and keeping you happy. Even just occasional social activity can: Lower Stress Levels.
Social isolation and loneliness are under-recognized determinants of cardiovascular and brain health, the report found. "There is strong evidence linking social isolation and loneliness with increased risk of worse heart and brain health in general," Cené said.
Hawkley points to evidence linking perceived social isolation with adverse health consequences including depression, poor sleep quality, impaired executive function, accelerated cognitive decline, poor cardiovascular function and impaired immunity at every stage of life.
Social isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, fear of others, or negative self-esteem. Lack of consistent human contact can also cause conflict with the (peripheral) friends. The socially isolated person may occasionally talk to or cause problems with family members.
Socially isolated people have an increased risk of cognitive decline such as impaired concentration, memory loss, dementia, and loss of social capacities. They also suffer adverse emotional consequences such as depression, stress, and anxiety. They also feel sick more often and have a shorter lifespan.
Socializing not only staves off feelings of loneliness, but also it helps sharpen memory and cognitive skills, increases your sense of happiness and well-being, and may even help you live longer. In-person is best, but connecting via technology also works.
Not having social relationships, especially in the long term, seems to have an effect on self-esteem, job or work performance, and overall communication skills. Further, scientific evidence has found health disorders in people who have little to no social relationships.
The CNN article also mentioned a recent review of 148 studies that found that people who are isolated face a 50% greater risk of premature death than those who have stronger social connections.
One of the reasons that living in isolation is difficult is because humans are social creatures. Many people that have lived in isolated environments – such as researchers stationed in Antarctica – report that loneliness can be the most difficult part of the job.
Depression, anxiety, sleep disruption and loneliness can be inter-connected and are just some effects that may linger as the quarantine begins to lift. If symptoms persist beyond four months, you may be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Results suggest that the association between social isolation and memory decline arises because social isolation is associated with increased memory decline rather than poor memory leading to increases in social isolation.
People need at least a little human contact in order to thrive, and true isolation can take a toll on your overall well-being. If you're not totally isolated, though, and your lack of friends doesn't trouble you, it can be perfectly fine to be satisfied with your own company.
The bottom line. There's nothing wrong with being socially awkward. Whether you recognize your social awkwardness or not, it generally isn't bad or harmful, unless it bothers you or keeps you from doing things you want to do. But if you feel like you're doing just fine, don't feel pressured to change.
Some people view loners in a negative context. However, some studies show that being a loner can lead to happiness for the individual and could actually be good for your health. Some people in this study experienced greater life satisfaction with less frequent interaction with their friends.
Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness
Isolation and loneliness are also linked to poor cardiovascular health and cognitive function: A study led by an epidemiologist at Newcastle University concluded that deficiencies in social relationships are associated with a higher risk for coronary heart disease and stroke.
New research on well-being conducted by bestselling authors Tom Rath and Jim Harter, PhD, reveals that a robust sense of well-being requires six hours a day of social interaction. Well-being is the sense of contentment and happiness one feels about life, and it makes a difference.
Isolation is a result of anxiety and depression in that some individuals use it as a self-induced coping mechanism to deal with excessive worry and avoid human interaction. For others, isolation is a key driver of anxiety and depression, craving the support and stimulation that socialisation provides.
Living alone could cause loneliness which could further increase the risk of eating junk. Depression: If you live alone you are twice as likely to have depression and 80 per cent more likely to be taking anti-depressants according to a survey conducted on Finnish people.
As humans, social interaction is essential to every aspect of our health. Research shows that having a strong network of support or strong community bonds fosters both emotional and physical health and is an important component of adult life.