Loneliness can kill. It is known that periods of solitude are valuable in life, but the loneliness being discussed here is not simply being alone, rather it is a state of perceived social isolation. This state of distress can result from the lack of sufficient social relationships which leads people to feeling disconnected to everyone around them. However, feeling isolated for temporary periods of time after events that make one feel excluded or rejected is natural. As the American Association for the Advancement of Science puts it, “Bouts of loneliness are a melancholy fact of human existence” (Miller). What is of larger concern is chronic loneliness. Not feeling as though one is in a “safe, secure social surround to survive and thrive,” (Hawkley) for long periods of time will physiologically and psychologically affect aspects of one’s life. Humans are genetically built to be social beings, and we must have satisfying relationships to live a happy, healthy life. Chronic loneliness negatively impacts physical health, psychiatric health, and one’s ability to act in a rational, unimpaired manner. Those who suffer from the pain of loneliness are likely to suffer from a multitude of unfavorable side effects.
For instance, one of the negative effects that arise from feelings of loneliness is the detrimental toll it takes on one’s physical health. Notably, chronic loneliness increases risk for cardiovascular mortality. In their online article "Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms” (2010), Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo suggests that there are physical and mental health consequences of loneliness, “The higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers,” (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Higher systolic blood pressure also leads to higher blood pressure, higher HDL cholesterol levels may cause recurrent coronary events, and elevated glycated hemoglobin concentration leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Furthermore, loneliness can lead to cancer and other diseases. In his article, "Loneliness May Warp Our Genes, And Our Immune Systems" (2015), Angus Chen explains that loneliness can negatively affect the victim’s immune system: "Lonely people's white blood cells seem to be more active in a way that increases inflammation, a natural immune response to wounding and bacterial infection. On top of that, they seem to have lower levels of antiviral compounds known as interferons,” (Chen). Since the body is not built to protect itself from years of inflammation, people more easily succumb to cancer, viral infections, and neurodegenerative diseases. The chronic inflammation “can cause DNA damage and lead to cancer,” says the National Cancer Institute. It can also impair “the cells of the brain, heart, arterial walls, and other anatomic structures; this damage leads to various inflammatory chronic diseases,” says Bharat B. Aggarwal, professor of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas.
Additionally, fight or flight stress signaling prompted by the pain of loneliness throws off the body’s protection agents. In her online article "Loneliness Triggers Cellular Changes That Can Cause Illness, Study Shows" (2015), Susan (Susie) Allen claims that loneliness can provoke physiological responses that can make victims sick, "Loneliness results in fight-or-flight stress signaling, which increases the production of immature monocytes, leading to up-regulation of inflammatory genes and impaired anti-viral responses.” (Allen). Loneliness causes the body to release more of the fight-or-flight neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, resulting in stimulated blood stem cells in the marrow of the bone which create “an immature monocyte that shows high levels of inflammatory gene expression and low levels of antiviral gene expression,” (Allen). Increased inflammation and decreased levels of antiviral responses are harmful to the body. They inhibit the body from performing its protection responses efficiently. The output of these monocytes can promote loneliness and add more physical health risks of such isolation.
Aside from physical consequences, lonely people are also more susceptible to psychiatric disorders. Chiefly, there is a significant relationship between personality disorders and loneliness. In their online article "Relationship Between Loneliness, Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Health ? A Review on the Psychological Aspects of Loneliness" (2014), Raheel Mushtaq, Shoib, Shah, and Sahil Mushtaq claim that loneliness can lead to psychiatric and physical disorders. “The various personality disorders associated with loneliness include borderline personality disorder and schizoid personality disorder. Intolerance of aloneness is considered a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD).” (Mushtaq). Mushtaq mentions a couple of personality disorders linked to loneliness: BPD and schizoid personality disorder. BPD by the words of the National Institute of Mental Health, is “a serious mental disorder marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning.” This disorder is characterized by intensified emotional reactions, so feelings of loneliness turn into very deep perceptions of profound emptiness. Those diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder, which is distinguished by patterns of detachment in social relationships, are known to have trouble expressing emotions clearly and fully. They find it difficult to cope with things and establish healthy relationships. The absence of close relationships creates inflexibility in their personality, which can cause them great distress.
Equally important, depression can result from loneliness: “In patients, who are both lonely and depressed, loneliness is positively correlated with negative feelings and negative judgment of personality attributes and negatively correlated with it,” (Mushtaq). The insecure attachment that characterizes loneliness makes one more susceptible to depression. This connection may exist because such insecure attachment paves way for low self esteem, difficulty creating meaningful relationships, and unsatisfactory problem solving skills. Depression can ignite pessimism which prevents them from attempting to better their social situation, making them even more lonely than they were before.
In addition, loneliness is associated with loss of cognition in old age which can lead to dementia: “Loneliness is associated with more than two fold risk of dementia, as loneliness is associated with loss of cognition in old age. [...] In loneliness, there is more rapid decline in global cognition, semantic memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability,” (Mushtaq). Focusing specifically on Alzheimer’s disease, evidence suggests that loneliness may “compromise neural systems underlying cognition and memory, thereby making lonely individuals more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of age-related neuropathology and thereby decreasing neural reserves,” (Mushtaq). This decrease in neural reserves leads to the deterioration of cognition, thus drawing a link between loneliness and dementia, a psychiatric disorder.
Bringing on a multitude of damaging effects, loneliness also interferes with one’s ability to act in a healthy, rational manner. To point out, lonely people are defensive and hostile towards others, preventing them from having any deep, healthy relationships. In the book Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, the segment "Social Isolation, Loneliness and Depression in Young Adulthood: A Behavioural Genetic Analysis" (2015) discusses the relationship between social isolation and loneliness, how they relate to depression, and if genetic influences can explain these associations. Matthews explains, "The perception of being cut off from social groups makes individuals feel vulnerable, triggering a range of cognitive, behavioural and physiological responses geared towards self-protection. Thus, lonely individuals are inclined to be less trusting, to be more anxious and pessimistic, to perceive others around them more negatively and to approach social interactions in a defensive, hostile manner" (Matthews). They lack trust because everyone seems like a threat to them. From an evolutionary standpoint, if one is excluded from a larger group because he or she did not follow social norms and the person tries to re-enter, after multiple attempts the primitive group may decide to kill or injure him or her. This causes the brain to go into a mode of self-preservation which averts them from making friends and trusting anybody. Acting in this manner is not in their best interest because it closes any opportunities of overcoming loneliness. Instead it is an endless cycle of paranoia and self-preservation, so the individual is unable to treat others with a normal, healthy attitude.
Continuing the list of unfortunate effects of loneliness, alcohol abuse can take over one who lacks sufficient social support: “Further it is recognized as an essential risk factor in all the stages of alcoholism. Various studies have demonstrated lonely people with heavy drinking are more vulnerable to alcohol related problems.” (Mushtaq). Loneliness contributes to developing and maintaining alcohol abuse. The deficiency of social support creates a void within the victim, so they drown it out with alcohol. Without anyone by their side, the lonely person is unable to communicate their feelings and have an emotional support group that can offer advice. It seems, to the victim, that alcohol is the only kind friend in their world of perceived social isolation. Becoming addicted to alcohol puts the lonely person in a deadly cycle. This tendency of lonely people to turn towards alcoholism is a poor decision that is made without a healthy, supportive environment of social networks.
Particularly, loneliness is among the primary causes of suicide. In their online article "Loneliness, Depression and Sociability in Old Age” (2009), Singh, Archanca, and Nishi Misra claimed “It is one of the 3 main factors leading to depression (Green et al., 1992), and an important cause of suicide and suicide attempts. A study carried out by Hansson et al. (1987) revealed that loneliness was related to poor psychological adjustment, dissatisfaction with family and social relationships," (Singh and Misra). Severe perceived social isolation can make people feel that suicide is their only escape. Seeing that Hansson’s study showed loneliness being correlated to unsatisfactory family and social relationships, and humans are built to be social beings, their isolation will make them act in irrational ways.
University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health stresses that “[s]ocial relationships are central to human well-being and are critically involved in the maintenance of health” (Steptoe). Loneliness experienced over a long period of time can cause victims to have weaker physical health, be more susceptible to psychiatric disorders, and lack the ability to behave in a healthy, sensible way. A decline in physical health shown through the increased cardiovascular mortality, cancer risk, and inflammation is linked to the effects of loneliness. A tendency to develop psychiatric disorders such as BDP, schizoid personality disorder, depression, and dementia, are a result of perceived social isolation. Most lonely people have the ability to act in ways that are not beneficial to themselves; they can go into survival mode in which they act defensively, they rely on alcohol to fill their lack of social support, and when extreme desperation results from deprivation of healthy relationships, they may commit suicide. In this new digital age, it is very easy to replace real, deep relationships with superficial ones without knowing. This is a dangerous to be oblivious to because of all the detrimental side effects I have mentioned that may result down the road. Our generation and the upcoming generations should use this advanced technology and new forms of communication to our advantage by strengthening meaningful relationships and connecting with a network of people that add something valuable to you or your perspective on life. For those who are in a period of loneliness or know someone who may be, know that an important first step to overcoming loneliness is coming to terms with being lonely. Denial will only lead one down a deceptive path. Changing your daily routine can inspire a different outlook on life and may lead you to unexpected friendships. Additionally, exercising is proven to increase self-confidence, a factor that contributes towards perceived social isolation. On the note of self-confidence, Steven Furtick, the Lead Pastor of Elevation Church, once said, “The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” Do not let what you see of other people’s lives on social media become the expectation of your own life. What is going on in their life does not affect how you choose to spend your days. You are the one with the reigns here, so the greatness of your life depends on how much effort you put into it and your ability to distinguish what you want from what everybody else wants. As a last piece of advice, do not be afraid to reach out to old friends or family members. If you find that you are missing them, contact them. Always stay connected to those who add value to your life, but do not be upset if someone decides to leave your life. The people who are meant to stay will stay, and those who leave were meant to go.
- Sarah Liang
