With lockdown in place, people have been forced to follow social distancing measures which have led to less in-person contact. This has made society, on the whole, feel more lonely, with certain parts of the population being more affected than others. The importance of understanding this feeling is further emphasised, with one study from the Mental Health Foundation stating that 44% of people aged between 18 and 24 are experiencing loneliness because of the lockdown. (1)
Letitia Anne Peplau and Daniel Perlman, professors at the University College Los Angeles and University of North Carolina respectively, define loneliness as the “discrepancy between an individual’s preferred and actual social relations”.This disparity makes people feel lonely. (2) Considering this definition, it is understandable why people seem to be feeling lonely during quarantine; there is a disconnect felt in relationships, as many people cannot be around those they love and care about. It is often not enough to be surrounded by just anyone—there is a need to be surrounded by those who mean a lot to us. (3)
As COVID-19 has forced stringent measures to be put in place, individuals have started to feel isolated from those around them. A new way of living has been created, damaging preset routines, and further enhancing the general feeling of loneliness. These new routines can create self-destructive habits, with one study showing an increase in harmful behaviours such as overeating and smoking in those who feel lonely. (5) If these habits are not addressed, it could lead to increased cardiovascular complications and mortality. (9) (10) (11)
The harsh effects of loneliness do not end there. It has also been found to weaken willpower and perseverance over time, which means that the longer someone feels lonely, the higher the chance they will indulge in and develop these harmful habits. Lonely people also become less likely to engage with others to seek emotional support, which can heighten already present feelings of isolation. (12) This can further worsen pre-existing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. (13 )(14)(8) Finally, loneliness can impact peoples’ personal relationships with others further, as it can negatively alter memories over time and can cause people to perceive neutral interactions as hostile. This can negatively impact social expectations, and when these poor expectations are met it can cause them to push those dear to them away. (15)
Though COVID-19 has exacerbated feelings of loneliness, this low mood is not a novel problem. A 2015 survey on over 3,000 Americans revealed that 25% to 60% of older adults feel lonely. Within this group, it was found that their quality of life—mental and physical well-being—was reduced, with women feeling more lonely compared to men. (4) Loneliness has also been shown to return at different stages of life and peak in the late-20s, mid-50s and late-80s.(8)
Clearly, loneliness as a damper on mental and physical health has failed to be directly addressed, as evidence mounts and cases rise. Nonetheless, there has been no effective treatment for it that works for everyone, with women, the elderly, and those who have poor mental or physical wellbeing–all facing the brunt of the condition. As patient-centered care is becoming more emphasised, it is of paramount importance that this issue is confronted, as it remains a huge problem. (5)
The interventions that have had some benefits in combating the negative effects of loneliness include destigmatising the emotion, which can be done by pushing more local or national health campaigns so that people can feel comfortable talking about it. (16) This enables people to feel more comfortable talking about the feeling, leading to increased acceptance of it, and can result in a more empathetic emotional display of support from friends and family.
Those who do not have a strong support group and cannot meet new people can practice mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). This has been shown to reduce the sense of loneliness people feel. One study used a sample of 153 participants, of which 53 used MBSR, and found that those who attended MBSR courses felt 22% less lonely and had an increased number of interactions with others. (17) This study used a mobile phone app, so these courses can potentially be used to help many people remotely.
For those who can meet new people, a study found that the ability to access groups with a shared interest, such as groups playing a particular sport together, was an appealing way to meet new people and make friends. (16) Finding new communities and establishing strong relationships can allow people to feel supported. As people cannot always physically meet, a solution to this would be to make online support groups available where people with similar interests and passions can bond with each other. (18)
Frequent phone calls with close friends and family have also been shown to help, but none of these solutions have been found to be as effective as physical touch. (19) A study on touch was done in the UK, specifically due to the fact that it is regarded as a low contact society, demonstrated that participants who had oil rubbed on the back of their hands by the researcher felt a lot less lonely because they were touched. This highlights how people cannot get used to a lack of touch despite being part of a culture that does not depend on making connections through physical touch. This shows how physical contact is a human need. (20) Many hospitals and care homes are now barring visitors from seeing family in order to reduce the spread of the virus, but this reduces the availability of physical contact when people need it most.
It is seen that loneliness harms both physical and mental health, but in recent years, it has been found that these feelings can be treated to a certain degree. De-stigmatisation and frequent contact with those you love and care about is essential, as well as being open about how you are feeling and what you are going through. A new way forward requires more research by experimenting with different modalities, doing larger trials, and increasing our understanding of how loneliness affects the body both physically and mentally.
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