The scope, duration, and intensity of loneliness can vary. You may feel detached from other people in general or your loneliness could stem from a specific reason, such as the lack of a romantic partner.
Loneliness spans all age groups. You may be a college student who feels lost and ignored even among a sea of new faces on campus and in the dorms. You could be in middle adulthood, noticing that your formerly tight-knit group of friends has drifted apart. Or as an older adult, you may feel abandoned by family members as their visits become less and less frequent.
Rates of loneliness seem to be rising in many countries, especially as a result of the COVID pandemic. Lockdowns and social distancing exacerbate the problem, but they aren't the only causes.
Loneliness is a potential problem no matter where you live. Some experts even point out that certain countries seem to be facing loneliness epidemics. In England, one study found that around 45 percent of adults felt lonely to some degree. Meanwhile, a national survey in the United States found that 61 percent of adults are lonely.
Loneliness and social isolation can negatively affect your mental health as well as your physical health. You might be filled with self-doubt as you wonder why you can't seem to connect with others. Perhaps you begin to question your worth. It's easy for these negative thought patterns to spiral into depression.
Loneliness can affect cognitive functioning, increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
A combination of high stress, inflammation, and impaired immunity can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders.
Feelings of isolation may lead a person to contemplate or attempt suicide. Social support, on the other hand, is an important factor in reducing the risk of suicide.
A variety of factors can cause someone to experience loneliness. In many cases, there’s no one single cause, but rather a number of factors that can overlap and intensify one another.
If you live in a rural area, you might have a harder time connecting to others simply because there's more physical space between you and your neighbors.