"Loneliness is more than just being alone and socially isolated. It is a painful, subjective experience that arises when your social world feels insufficient-too few friends, not enough interaction, relationships that leave you feeling disconnected and dissatisfied, etc. Loneliness is associated with a range of mental and physical health issues, including depression, physical pain, shame, sleep disturbances, and increased vulnerability to illnesses like the flu."
"How World Beliefs Influence Loneliness When people experience chronic loneliness, their minds often shift into self-protection mode. They become more vigilant, more cautious, and more likely to withdraw from others. This defensiveness shapes their core beliefs, making the world seem bad, unsafe, random, cold, mechanical, and meaningless. But avoiding connection also means missing out on the very kinds of positive social experiences that could disconfirm those perceptions."
Chronic loneliness is a painful, subjective state resulting from inadequate social connection and contributes to depression, physical pain, shame, sleep problems, and greater illness vulnerability. Chronic loneliness often triggers a self-protective mindset marked by heightened vigilance, caution, and social withdrawal. These defensive responses reshape core beliefs, causing the world to appear bad, unsafe, random, cold, mechanical, and meaningless. Avoiding close interactions prevents exposure to positive social feedback—hearing good news, receiving encouragement and validation, sharing achievements, and being supported in pursuits—which would otherwise challenge negative beliefs. This cycle entrenches loneliness and undermines rebuilding satisfying relationships.
Read at Psychology Today
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