Written by Hannah-Sophie Schmidt & Yixin Tang

Everyone can feel lonely

Almost everyone has probably felt lonely at some point in their lives, perhaps after moving to a new place, losing a loved one, or even when surrounded by people but still feeling disconnected. While researchers haven’t settled on a single definition of loneliness, most agree that loneliness involves three key aspects(De Jong Gierveld, 1998; Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010):

First, loneliness is the subjective perception of the discrepancy between desired and actual social relationships, either in terms of companionship, connectedness, or intimacy. Second, loneliness is a subjective experience, as distinguished from the objective state of social isolation. Some people enjoy being alone, while others can feel lonely even when surrounded by others. Third, loneliness is an unpleasant and distressing experience.

Types of Loneliness

Emotional and Social Loneliness

Loneliness can take different forms. Psychologist Robert Weiss (1973) identified two main types. Emotional loneliness arises from the absence of a close and intimate bond, for example with a partner or best friend. Emotional loneliness can lead to a deep sense of emptiness and disconnection. Social loneliness arises from the absence of a broader social network or feeling disconnected from a community, can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion (Lui & Rook, 2013).

Temporary and Chronic Loneliness

Loneliness could be a transient or an enduring experience. Situational loneliness is a temporary reaction to life changes, like moving, losing a job, or ending a relationship. Despite the emotional and social difficulties associated with situational loneliness, it has been argued that after a short period of psychological distress, individuals who suffer from it typically manage to cope with their loss and recover. Chronic loneliness, on the other hand, is a painful and enduring experience, which arises from the inability of the individual to develop satisfying social relationships over the years (Shiovitz-Ezra & Ayalon, 2009).

Consequences of Loneliness

Enduring feelings of loneliness are of high concern because they are associated with both current well-being and future mental and physical health (Cacioppo et al., 2015; Hutten et al., 2021; Matthews et al., 2022). For example, people who experience loneliness have been found to experience more anxiety and depressive symptoms, have more sleep problems and cardiovascular incidents, become ill more quickly, and die at an earlier age (for reviews, see Heinrich & Gullone, 2006; Lim et al., 2020).

References

De Jong Gierveld, J. (1998). A review of loneliness: concept and definitions, determinants and consequences. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 8(1), 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959259898008090

Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness Matters: A theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8

Heinrich, L. M., & Gullone, E. (2006). The clinical significance of loneliness: A literature review. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(6), 695–718. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2006.04.002

Hutten, E., Jongen, E. M. M., Vos, A. E. C. C., Van Den Hout, A. J. H. C., & Van Lankveld, J. J. D. M. (2021). Loneliness and Mental health: the mediating effect of perceived social support. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 11963. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211963

Lim, M. H., Holt-Lunstad, J., & Badcock, J. C. (2020). Loneliness: contemporary insights into causes, correlates, and consequences. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 55(7), 789–791. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01891-z

Liu, B. S., & Rook, K. S. (2013). Emotional and social loneliness in later life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(6), 813–832. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407512471809

Matthews, T., Bryan, B. T., Danese, A., Meehan, A. J., Poulton, R., & Arseneault, L. (2022). Using a loneliness measure to screen for risk of mental health problems: a replication in two nationally representative cohorts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1641. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031641

Shiovitz-Ezra, S., & Ayalon, L. (2009). Situational versus chronic loneliness as risk factors for all-cause mortality. International Psychogeriatrics, 22(3), 455–462. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610209991426

Weiss, R. (1975). Loneliness: The experience of emotional and social isolation. MIT Press.