Emotional isolation
Emotional isolation is a state of isolation where one may have a well-functioning social network but still feels emotionally separated from others. Being emotionally isolated is when your defence mechanism kicks in, and to protect yourself from emotional distress, you stop naturally communicating with people. When you do communicate with them, you keep the communication to a superficial level. So you might have a wide social circle yet you probably show little interest in their feelings; and in that way you avoid intimate relationships altogether. You might put barriers in the way of deepening relationships; and you might socially isolate yourself from people to avoid getting hurt.
Isolation can increase the risks of mental health issues such as depression, dementia, social anxiety, and low self-esteem. Isolation and mental health issues can also interact with one another in a feedback loop. For example, a person might develop depression because of intense loneliness, then feel even more isolated because of their depression. Extreme isolation can have catastrophic effects on mental health. Humans are social animals who need human contact to thrive—and sometimes even to survive. Infants who don’t get enough physical contact may fail to thrive and die. Inmates held in solitary confinement, especially for extended periods of time, may experience hallucinations, insomnia, posttraumatic stress (PTSD), and difficulty telling time. More than 80,000 men, women, and children are held in solitary confinement in American prisons and jails.
Signs of emotional isolation:
1. Have a sense of feeling alone, despite having platonic and intimate relationships.
2. Feel no one understands you.
3. Avoid close relationships due to a fear of getting hurt.
4. Keep people at a distance because you don't trust them.
5. Go through long periods of not interacting with others.
Isaacs, B. (2016). 5 signs of emotional isolation. Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/22e65s4y
GoodTherapy. (2018). Isolation. Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/yal7b8vf
Helgason, R., Dickman, W.,Adolfsson, J., Steineck, G. Emotional Isolation: Prevalence and the Effect on Well- being among 50–80-Year-Old Prostate Cancer Patients. Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/2yo6wzpz