The Negative Impacts Of Isolation

Matthias Ritzmann

People all of the world have had to stay away from friends and family because of what has been going on in the world for the past few years. Even though mandatory quarantine periods were more strict a couple years ago now, there still is a period of isolation needed to be taken if you are unlucky enough to catch COVID-19. The pandemic has and currently is still impacting people’s physical and mental health everywhere. People couldn’t leave their houses, and their only way of contact was through the internet and through their devices. Even though taking part in this still is a form of social contact, it can make you feel more isolated in some ways and isn’t satisfying to everyone. This went on for a few years and may go on for more. If you struggled during this time as a result of being isolated you are not alone. Today, we are going to explore why and how isolation can hurt your mental health, as well as ways you can improve your life if you feel isolated. Isolation does have an impact on your mental health and on your quality of life. This is why it is important to explore how isolation can hurt you altogether and what you can do to keep yourself sane and healthy if you have to be isolate for a period of time.

The Various Forms Of Needed Social Contact

Firstly, just as this goes for anyone from any background, people experience the world differently. This includes the fact that men and women are different from each other and therefore they have some different life experiences and needs. This includes preferred modes of social contact and the varying amount of time spent with being with others in order to satisfy their social needs. This can also mean specific social contact kinds more “effective” than others. For example, in-person or over the phone, with multiple people or one-on-one. Everyone is different and experiences the world differently based on our experiences in addition to how we envision our day-to-day lives. Loneliness can really hurt you, so it is important to be able to identify how you can avoid loneliness and what is the best form of socialization for you. Men’s Health actually wrote an article just before COVID-19 hit the United States stating on loneliness,

A 2017 study at the University of Oxford showed that men bond better through face-to face contact and activities, whereas women find it much easier to hold onto an emotional connection through phone conversations. Our social structures function differently, too. According to a study in the journal Plos One, male friendships are more likely to flourish in groups, whereas women favour one-to-one interactions.

This article has concluded that men in particular might have had a harder time dealing in a healthy manner with periods of isolation. This is or can be due to the fact that men sometimes need face-to-face contact with multiple people at the same time when it comes to feeling connected with others. This can mean that during the pandemic, there might be an explanation why you felt you were struggling more than others around you due to not being able to contact family, friends, and loved ones and feel satisfied at the same time.

The Many Dangers Isolation Can Cause

Believe it or not, being lonely has to potential to also hurt you physically in some reported cases. It really can have some serious consequences on your body! Isolation and the negative feelings that follow it not only can hurt your mental health, but also may have effects on your physical health. How is this possible though and what exactly can it do? The CDC has also recognized that isolation can have a severe negative impact on one’s health in serious enough situations.

“Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.

Social isolation was associated with about a 50% percent increased risk of dementia.

Poor social relationships (characterized by social isolation or loneliness) was associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.

Loneliness was associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.

Loneliness among heart failure patients was associated with a nearly 4 times increased risk of death, 68% increased risk of hospitalization, and 57% increased risk of emergency department visits.”

Taking care of your mental health and its needs is vital when it comes to preserving your physical health. They both are important factors in remaining alive. As isolation can impact both of them, it is needed to pay attention to your needs and to make sure your social cravings are fed. Social isolation is something that is frankly necessary in dire situations. We certainly don’t like this fact, but it is indeed true. So if something tragic and emergent happens again to where we need to isolate for longer periods of time, we need to understand the serious impact it may have on our health if we do not find ways to help ourselves. Help is always available even if it doesn’t seem like it at first, or if it doesn’t appear that way in the beginning. If you recognize you are struggling with loneliness and/or isolation, now or in the future, you need to seek out professionals who may be able to find the right form of help for you personally. Professionals are out there waiting to help you and it is important to seek out this help if you need it. Remember, isolation is something that may put you in danger even though it may not appear that way.

Conclusion

Isolation can have an effect on your body and your mind, that’s the truth. It is nothing to be ashamed about if you are or have struggled due to loneliness, and you certainly should not think that you are the only person dealing with these difficult feelings. Isolation is something that is not only mentally tough, but it can be physically as well. It’s difficult overall to deal with and sometimes we so not have the power to do so. It is very important to keep yourself healthy. If you can find something or some form of support that helps you personally deal with the feelings that come when you are lonely, you should take advantage of it. When you have to keep yourself isolated for any sort of reason, COVID related or not, you need to have some sort of support system in place to help guide you on how to feel better and deal with those feelings. Additionally, there are also therapists out there ready to help you if you need it during difficult times. Help is ready and available and that is important to remember. Especially with how many people experienced isolation and the troubles that may come with it over the past couple years especially, there is no reason for you to feel alone in that sense. You may feel isolated, but there are always people on your side!