Loneliness

Loneliness

Introduction

Loneliness is referred to a complex and unpleasant emotional response that is given by individuals to the lack of isolation of companionship or friendship. It is very commonly observed that anxious feelings are developed in a lonely individual because of the lack of community relationships and connectedness with other people in the society. On the other hand, it is also observed that loneliness is also felt by people even in the presence of a number of people around them. There are various causes of loneliness that are categorized into social, emotional or mental factors. The core focus of this paper is to identify and discuss the potential causes of loneliness and the interventions that could be incorporated for the management of loneliness in individuals.

Discussion

It has been observed through a number of researches that loneliness is a very common issue in the young and older adults which further give rise to a number of health problems in the future. In addition to this, loneliness is also caused among people within the society in marriages, families, other relationships, and successful careers. The concept of loneliness has been the most researched and explored concept in the history of the human beings. The term loneliness has also been termed as a social pain, which is meant to psychological mechanism that is aimed at alerting an individual for the motivation to develop social connections with other people in the society (Askt, 2008).

It is clear that loneliness could be felt by any individual at any stage in life, but it has been researched that if loneliness is carried on for a longer term, it is obvious that loneliness can cause serious health problems. There is a wide variety of health problem and negative consequences that could be caused by loneliness. The negative consequences of loneliness causes negative effects on both the physical and mental health and abilities of the individuals. The following are the most significant health issues that could be caused by loneliness to the individuals.

Stroke and Cardiovascular diseases.

Suicide due to depression.

Decreased ability of learning and memory.

Increased levels of stress.

Poor decision making skills.

Antisocial behavior.

Development of Alzheimer's disease.

Altered functions of the brain.

Drug abuse and alcoholism.

These are the most significant negative effects that could be caused by loneliness to the individuals. It has been also found through a number of researches that loneliness could also impact health of the heart, immunity and stress level in an individual. It is also very important to understand that the above mentioned areas are not the only areas that are negatively affected. It has been observed that the adults who are lonely tend to consume more alcohol and make themselves busy in less exercise and physical activities. This fact has been very significantly explained by John Cacioppo that involvement and exercises and physical activities play a vital role in the management of loneliness (Cacioppo, 2009). In addition to this, it is also obvious that the people who are lonely also consume more fats in their routine ...