Loneliness Can Be Healthy

Quality not quantity: loneliness subtypes
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology


Research suggests that loneliness puts you at risk for poor sleep, higher blood pressure, cognitive and immune decline, as well as depression. Some even call loneliness a disease, which is part of the reason why I got my dog, Gromit.

To illustrate, last year I wrote that elderly who are lonely tend to die earlier than their sociable peers. That study concluded that connection is a fundamental human need, which has been my experience, too. With that said, it's time to identify what unhealthy loneliness actually looks like because there is such a thing as healthy and lonely.

Today's paper makes the case that loneliness can be divided into three types, only two of which can lead to mental health issues.


The study
Researchers took 1,800 US adults and had then fill out a survey designed to measure social and emotional loneliness. The survey also asked about overall psychological well-being.

39% of the group was classified as lonely under these two subtypes, but not all who were lonely were distressed.


The results
People who were both socially and emotionally lonely were found to have significantly higher levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety and negative psychological wellbeing. Merely being socially lonely (having fewer relationships), however, did not have the same negative effect.

This research suggests that the quality of relationships is more important to your mental health than the overall number, which is why I commit to walking Gromit twice a day, rain or snow.


Takeaway
Having few, low-quality relationships, is associated with an increase in anxiety, depression, and overall psychological poor health. This result was not the same for those who had few, higher-quality friendships.

In the past we might have mistaken being an introvert, or having few, close friends, with loneliness. This research, however, suggests that the time and effort you put into relationships matters more than the quantity when it comes to your mental health.