People often use the words “lonely” and “isolated” interchangeably, and while they frequently occur together, they are two different problems. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health in Leland, North Carolina, we try to help our patients avoid both of these issues, as they can each make it more difficult to maintain mental health.
What’s the Difference?
Loneliness and isolation can both be unpleasant and result in sadness, but they aren’t the same thing. Isolation is a lack of relationships, contact, or support from other people. Sometimes, people live happily in isolation, and sometimes it causes them to feel lonely. Loneliness is feeling alone and disconnected. It is possible to feel lonely even when surrounded by people if those people don’t understand or value you.
Why Do Isolation and Loneliness Matter?
Both of these experiences result in poor health outcomes. Around a third of adults in America report that they feel lonely, and about a quarter report that they don’t have social or emotional support. People who either are alone or perceive themselves to be alone are at higher risk of developing serious diagnoses:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, cognitive decline)
- Premature death – loneliness and isolation are comparable to other factors in mortality, including smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity
While both loneliness and isolation fuel negative outcomes, researchers have found that loneliness is more strongly connected to mental illnesses and feeling like life lacks meaning. Isolation is more strongly connected to physical decline and early death.
Risk Factors for Loneliness and Isolation
Some conditions can increase the risk of a person becoming isolated and/or lonely if they were not already:
- Long-term illnesses
- Mental health disorders
- Chronic disabilities
- Being a victim of abuse or violence
- Having limited access to resources due to:
- Language barriers
- Lack of transportation
- Rural or unsafe location
- Mobility issues
- Experiencing tragedies
- End of an important relationship
- Loss of a job due to retirement or termination
- Death of a loved one
Traits That Increase Risk of Loneliness and Isolation
Certain traits a person can have can also place them at increased risk:
- Being part of a marginalized group that faces discrimination, such as a racial or ethnic minority or the LGBT+ community
- Having low income or financial struggles
- Being within certain age groups
- Living alone
- Being an immigrant
- Being in a caregiving role for a loved one who is ill or elderly
- Having difficulties with hearing or comprehension
Ways to Address Isolation and Loneliness
If you or someone you care about is alone or feeling alone, there are steps you can take to address the problem. However, because the underlying causes of loneliness and isolation vary from person to person, solutions will also vary. It’s important to listen to the person who is struggling in order to develop an effective plan for managing the issue:
- Discuss the problem with their doctor, who can refer them for therapy or medications if needed.
- Connect them with their faith community, which may offer support.
- Help them to reconnect with family members and friends by offering transportation or bringing family and friends to them.
- Help them find new hobbies or rediscover old ones that can help to pass the time and connect them to others with similar interests.
- Improve their access to and understanding of technology so they can call, text, email, or otherwise interact with loved ones. Local libraries and community centers often offer classes to help people improve their knowledge of computers and smartphones.
- Help them get a pet, which can help in finding purpose and decreasing loneliness.
- Encourage them to engage in volunteer opportunities.
At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, we treat adolescents and adults with a variety of mental health diagnoses. Connection and support are huge indicators of a person’s ability to recover and have a high quality of life. This is one reason why we strive to engage the families of our patients in the treatment process.
