How Loneliness Affects Your Brain??
May 08, 2021, by Psychosexology W/ Gayatri
Ever since Covid-19 has come into our lives, it has affected our health in many ways. Because, of social isolation, so many people are suffering from loneliness. When I say, loneliness it does not really mean being alone. You might be surrounded with thousand of people and still can feel lonely. Loneliness refers to distress caused by a feeling that the person doesn't have the companionship they want. Don't confuse loneliness with solitude. Loneliness is when you want to share your feelings and you want to express yourself but, you don't really have someone with whom you are comfortable enough to share it. People who are experiencing loneliness may feel like they are left out, they have no one to talk to, or nobody understands them. On the other hand, someone out there can enjoy being on their own, but it doesn't mean they are lonely. You can stay alone and still can enjoy your own company. Lonely people feel unwanted, alone and empty. So, understand that, not every alone person is lonely.
Symptoms of loneliness
It includes distress, anxiety, unhappiness, fear of going out, reduced physical activity, and sometimes sleep problems.
It increases the risk of many fatal diseases including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, dementia and depression and suicides. Loneliness is also associated with increased risk for premature death, similar to smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity.
But, along with all these effects, do you know that, loneliness can also affect your brain???
Yes, you heard me right.
Prolonged loneliness can affect your
thinking abilities. Loneliness can also cause depression, dementia. It
triggers the same pathways in the brain that are involved in the processing emotional responses to physical pain. Loneliness has been linked with the two key brain changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease: the buildup of beta amyloid and tau proteins in the brain. Loneliness and other psychological stressors act to chronically trigger the biological stress response, which in turn appears to increase beta-amyloid and tau accumulation in the brain which may lead to repetative negative thinking. Loneliness is also an important social stressor that can activate the body’s stress responses. When prolonged, that response can lead to increased inflammation and reduced immunity, particularly in older adults. Stress hormones play an important role in controling inflammation. But, under chronic stress, the body becomes less sensitive to the effects of the stress hormones, leading to increased inflammation and eventually disease. The brains of people who experience loneliness display specific patterns in a network of regions called the default network. This network is associated with thinking processes, including the abilities to remember, imagine, and plan for different moments in time.
How to overcome loneliness??
You can definetily overcome loneliness for sure. But, it needs to take conscious efforts on your part.
Loneliness is a state of mind in the start, but when it continues for long period of time, it becomes a condition. Loneliness is different for different people in different aspects. You might have good connection in some areas of your relations but, at the same time you can feel lonely in other kind of your relationships. For example, you might have good and genuine and closed friend so, you are enjoying that relationship and may not feel lonely with that person but on the other hand, if your relationship with your partner is not going well. So, then you might feel lonely in that romantic relationship. So, loneliness is very broad concept to categorise and your loneliness also depends upon the kind of environment you are living in and the kind of people you are surrounded with. So, to cure your loneliness, make sure you are not surrounded with someone who makes you feel lonely or makes you feel unwanted.
Your nature and nurture both affects the way you feel. If you are someone who don't like to express, or to get mixed up with people easily, then you might find it difficult to make new connections, which in turn will make you feel lonely. So, if that is the thing, you should focus on developing an approchable kind of personality so that you can form new good connections.
As I said earlier that, stress can lead to loneliness, try learning new techniques to reduce your stress, do some physical activities like exercise, dance etc. It causes hormonal changes which helps to relieve stress which in turn can help you to feel less lonely. Try doing activities or hobbies that you enjoy. Take some ME time and try to enjoy it.
If you are unable to overcome loneliness, or think that condition is getting worse, then take help of mental health proffesional who will help you to discover underlying reasons which are leading you to feel lonely. They can definitely help you with some kind of therapies.
Understand, loneliness is a state of mind which you can definitely overcome.
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