Human beings, by nature, are social. They need to be around people to survive. Our first social connections are in the form of our parents and family, later on in the form of friends, and then in the form of our colleagues and so on. We need social connections to thrive in this world. We need human touch and human connection. When we’re young, we tend to be very enthusiastic when it comes to our social circle. However, as we grow older, we tend to outgrow a lot of people in our life. If you struggle with anxiety resulting from social isolation, buydiazepamuk has a range of anti-anxiety medications for you to choose from.
As we grow older, our friend circles start to become small and smaller. We tend to rejoice in the company of our few genuine people. Our definition of friendship has changed significantly. We look for people having genuine qualities like loyalty, kindness, integrity, and so on. However, as we age, our social connections reduce to very few, ultimately leading us towards ‘isolation’.
Is social isolation the same as loneliness?
Social isolation and loneliness may resemble each other in a way. It’s easy to confuse them, but they’re two different things. Loneliness is a feeling that generates from being alone or separated, whereas social isolation results from lacking social connections or having few to no people to interact with. One can live alone but not feel lonely or socially isolated. On the other hand, you may feel alone even when you’re surrounded by people.
How can social isolation impact your health?
It has been researched that social isolation can negatively impact your health. In adults, social isolation has adverse effects, like depression, anxiety, heart problems, obesity, cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and so on.
Socially isolated people are more likely to develop addictions and insomnia, which in turn further worsens their health condition. Moreover, being alone for most of your day can reduce your ability to perform daily life activities like driving, cooking, going out to pay bills, and taking your medicine.
Are you at risk for social isolation?
You may be wondering how one can get socially isolated. Well, people who unexpectedly lose a loved one, are away from their family, lose their mobility, are disabled, or lack access to transportation ultimately end up being socially isolated.
You may have a chance of being socially isolated if you:
- Live on your own
- Just moved to a new place
- Had a recent breakup
- Had a significant life change, like the loss of a spouse, partner, or retirement
- Struggle with finances
- Have limited support from family
- Suffer from any psychological challenge
- Have a hearing problem
- Don’t speak a foreign language
- Face any sort of discrimination where you live
- Don’t engage in any activities
- Lack of a sense of purpose in life
How can you fight it?
There’s no single universal intervention method to combat social isolation or loneliness, as different people are lonely for different reasons. Therefore, a one-size-fits-all intervention will not be for everyone struggling with these issues. However, here are some of the ways you can combat social isolation.
- Start doing activities or join classes that make you learn something new. In this way, you can meet new people with your interests.
- Strengthen your bond with your family, friends, or neighbours by trying to stay in touch with them via social media, call, visitation, or text. Share your feelings with them and exchange gifts to maintain a healthy bond.
- Use technology that can engage with you and make you feel less isolated.
- Join an online class or build an online community through social media.
- Adopting a pet might also be a good option, as they lower your stress and blood pressure.
- Stay active.
- Join community service; in this way, you connect with people for the greater good.
5 reasons why social isolation is bad for your health
While some people may consider social isolation as an opportunity to stay focused on themselves and their routine, and it may work completely fine for them, some people face severe effects of social isolation.
- Social isolation can worsen your existing diseases, like diabetes, heart problems, stroke, etc.
- It can lead to a loss of motivation. No motivation to do daily life chores, run errands, exercise or leave the house.
- Social isolation can further add up to your anxiety, depression, and stress levels. As there’s no social life, you have nobody to talk to or share things with.
- Socially isolated people are likely to stay more at the hospitals as nobody can care for them back home.
- Socially isolated people face cognitive decline much faster, leading to memory loss, loss of brain functions, and, ultimately, death.
