Social Isolation: Effects on an Individual from a Social, Medical and Psychological Perspective

Introduction

Loneliness is proving to be more than just part of the human condition. New research shows it’s a serious public health concern for young people as much as the elderly. The evidence is startling. Feeling lonely can pose a bigger risk for premature death than smoking or obesity, according to research by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brigham Young University in Utah, USA. Links to depression may not be surprising, but the idea that loneliness can be associated with poorer cardiovascular health and, in old age, a faster rate of cognitive decline and dementia is repositioning loneliness as a public health issue. Ladies, gentlemen, and Chairperson, it is therefore evident that in being isolated from humanity, the effects are socially, medically, and psychologically damaging.

Paragraph one (Social Perspective)

Social isolation is linked to loneliness and an inability to socialize.

Isolation from humanity has an effect on a human socially. Being a social species is shown through social networks such as the families, tribes, and communities that enable people to survive and thrive. This survival was helped by the evolutionary development of behaviors and physiologic mechanisms (neural, hormonal, cellular, genetic) that support these social interactions. With all human traits, there is a variation in the social behaviors and needs of each individual. The fact is, most are psychologically and biologically “programmed” to need social networks. It is logical that social isolation may impose stress on minds and bodies, and this has a significant impact on health. Since social isolation and loneliness are common in older adults, much attention has been paid to clarifying their adverse effects on health in old age. However, it is surprisingly difficult to study these effects and to distinguish the effects of social isolation and loneliness on health when pre-existing health conditions, such as immobility and depression, can themselves both contribute to ill health as well as increase isolation and loneliness. It is also challenging to distinguish social isolation and loneliness from one another; not all who are isolated are lonely and not all who are lonely are alone. Overall, humans rely on the ability to socially interact with others, a lack of this can lead to medical problems which will be further discussed.

Paragraph two (Medical Perspective)

Social isolation has also been found to be associated with poor mental health and well-being including increased risk for depression, cardiovascular disease anxiety, and substance use. Social isolation in elderly individuals is also associated with an increased risk for dementia. 

It is astounding, the implications that isolation from humanity has on an individual medically. In 2018 a national survey was conducted by Cigna, they collected the data and it shows that loneliness levels have reached an all-time high, with nearly half of 20,000 U.S. adults reporting they sometimes or always feel alone. Forty percent of these survey participants reported they sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful and that they feel isolated. Such numbers are alarming because of the health and mental health risks associated with loneliness. According to a meta-analysis co-authored by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, a lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or having alcohol use disorder. Professor Holt-Lunstad has also found that this isolation and loneliness are twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity is. 'There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase the risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators,' Holt¬- Lunstad says. Social isolation and loneliness links to higher risks for a variety of mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death. Due to these effects, it can have on an individual, thus, people who engage in meaningful and productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their mood, and have a sense of purpose. These activities seem to help maintain their well-being and may improve their cognitive function, studies show.

Paragraph three (Psychological Perspective) 

Being ‘isolated from humanity’ has detrimental effects on the brain and is a big cause for cognitive decline that many individuals endure. Cognitive decline is when a person has trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that affect their everyday life. Cognitive decline can range from mild to severe. Some of the first observations in early psychology regarding human nature involved the importance of social connections to mental health. Humans are hypothesized to have a fundamental need to belong, which includes having meaningful, affectionate bonds from close relationships. Without such bonds, humans are susceptible to psychological consequences, including negative affect and stress. Recently, research has begun to consider additional consequences of an unmet need to belong, including those impacting physiology, neurology, and physical health. Research employing animal models and human participants has provided converging evidence that social isolation is robustly and negatively associated with cognitive and cardiovascular function. An older, but large and well-designed prospective study over four years looked at total mortality in a group of men for whom social networks were known. Some 32,624 healthy men were followed, and 511 deaths occurred. Socially isolated men (not married, fewer than six friends or relatives, no memberships in religious or social organizations) had a 90% increased risk of cardiovascular death and more than double the risk of death from an accident or suicide. They also had double the risk of non-fatal stroke. They had no increased risk from non-fatal MI in this study, raising the question of whether or not social isolation contributes to either the severity or survivability of cardiac events. These investigators did not look at loneliness versus social isolation as relative risk factors.

Conclusion

To conclude, social isolation has effects on an individual from a social, medical, and psychological perspective. Humans are social beings, and a lack of communication with others can have major effects. Today it was discussed just how detrimental some of these can be for your health. Overall the act of Isolating from humanity is not ideal as it leads to feelings of loneliness, fear of others, and negative self-esteem. This inhumane subject is one that is still be occurring. If it is confronted at its roots and the people are healed, the world may be a little better when it comes to tackling isolation.