At some point in everyone’s lives, loneliness may come looming over. The sense of not having someone to talk to, or feeling misunderstood can consume our thoughts and make us feel worse. But when this feeling continues for a prolonged period of time, it can affect us physically, in more ways than we can imagine.  

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Praveen Gupta, Principal Director & Chief of Neurology, Fortis Hospital, said, “When we are lonely, our brains are constantly on alert. We are in a condition of feeling physically threatened, which interferes with our thinking and perception. Loneliness has been related with a variety of negative mental health effects. It might be a reaction to a mental health problem (for example, social disengagement is a typical symptom of depression), or it could be the trigger that causes the mental health disorder.”

Depression:

“Loneliness is strongly associated with depression. If you've been feeling socially isolated or lonely, negative self-beliefs and suicide ideation may rise, while life satisfaction frequently falls. Self-isolation is a typical sign of depressive episodes,” explained Dr Praveen Gupta.  

Anxiety:

Humans are wired to be social beings, and have someone by them. When they are robbed off the sense of company, it can affect them in many ways. “Anxiety is another common symptom and chronic loneliness can result in or worsen pre-existing social anxiety, as socializing requires practice. Having a good support system is a protective factor against anxiety, therefore if you don't have one, your overall anxiety levels may rise, and you may struggle with emotion control,” said Dr Praveen Gupta.

Substance abuse:

“People who are chronically lonely or alone are more likely to use alcohol or other substances to soothe their suffering. Loneliness is identified as a risk factor in all phases of alcoholism. It may also have an indirect impact on drug usage owing to increased stress,” added the Neurologist. 

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