Do You Know What The Side Effects Of Loneliness Are?

Have you ever heard of the side effects of loneliness?

Sometimes it’s important to spend some time alone. We face so many external stimuli on a daily basis that we sometimes have to rediscover ourselves, which makes spending time alone a good option. And it is true that this is so.

But is it also good if this time alone lasts too long? If you are someone who likes to live a lonely life, then you have undoubtedly heard that this can not always be healthy for you. Are they right?

Partly, yes. However, it is also true that being alone can provide some benefits. As we said above, it’s important to know what you’re feeling and to get to know yourself. In addition, you need moments when you can evaluate your current condition and therefore make decisions in a calm manner.

It often happens that people get carried away by events. And when these events have blown over again, you may realize that you are not where you wanted to be. This is because you do not have enough space to think about what is happening in your life.

However, this may vary if the situation persists. The side effects of loneliness can get quite serious in case you don’t see that things are going in the wrong direction for you. In that sense, it is important to know what the consequences of loneliness can be and how to recognize them, so that you can clearly determine for yourself whether you can still cope with it or not.

What are the side effects of loneliness?

Twisting reality

Are you familiar with the saying ‘two eyes see more than one’? As with most proverbs, this proverb has a kernel of truth in it. When you talk to other people, you exchange different points of view. This can help you compare the things you perceive with the way others perceive them.

If you are quite a talkative person, you may have noticed that external impressions have helped you develop a more balanced judgment. When you spend too much time alone, you miss out on all this information. And because of this, you run the risk of overloading your head with your own ideas, to the point where you develop a distorted view of the world around you. This can lead you to think about life in extreme terms and tend to generalize.

For example, if your partner doesn’t say goodbye to you before going to work, this feeling can gnaw at you all day until you come to the conclusion that your partner doesn’t love you anymore. However, if you were to ask your partner directly or discuss it with a friend, chances are you’ll come up with a much more reassuring explanation.

Anxiety is also one of the negative consequences of loneliness

The previous example is just one of many. Now think of all the similar circumstances that may one day arise. Multiply this by a week and so on. How many times do you think you will end up annoyed with someone? This state of constant distrust will only lead to a situation of mild or severe fear.

Moreover, it is made worse if the twisted ideas are also directed at yourself. You make mistakes at home or at work and suddenly phrases like “you’re worthless” pop up in your head. So now you don’t trust other people, you don’t trust yourself, and you don’t talk to anyone who can boost your self-esteem or change the way you think about external factors.

You let go of the reins of fear and this only intensifies your distorted view of reality and puts you on a course that is hard to stop.

Depression is also one of the side effects of loneliness

When you combine isolation, suspicion and fear, the result is a lack of hope and a loss of the meaning of life. If everything you see is negative and you can’t find positive stimuli, life gets very complicated.

While your job is important to you, deep down your happiness is related to the way you relate to the world.

This is why social networks have been so successful. You need to talk about what’s happening to you, or how much fun you’ve had, or how great that last restaurant you visited was, even about the bad things that happen to you. Reliving past events to return to and enjoy them again or to feel that you are not alone is a basic human need.

Nevertheless, the side effects of loneliness often appear when you have no other choice and the loneliness is imposed on you. That’s why it’s a good idea to combine moments of meditation, reflection or alone time with social interactions outside of work and your home.