Effects Of Social Isolation!

toughbird wrote:What are the effects of social isolation?

If the person isn't a natural hermit, but has become isolated anyway, the effect is usually depression, anger, and all sorts of other unpleasant emotions. Physical effects follow, whether hypochondriacal in origin or the results of gross stress. Very few people are natural hermits.

What is the impact it can affect the person's family and friends?

Social isolation develops in the absence of family and friends, so this question makes no sense.

Hi there,

I think this is actually quite a complicated question because social isolation can exist for all manner of reasons. I'll try and think of a few:

1 You move to a new area and don't know anyone.
2 you are physically isolated due to geography eg. Desert, Mountains, at sea, island, you get it...
3 Disability (unable to communicate), unable to move to get to other people.
4 Social ineptitude, personal traits that put other people off,

Anything that interrupts what might be considered a normal level of human interaction leads to some form of pain. Social interaction is an intrinsic part of what makes us human. Without it mentally we suffer. Some more than others as we are not all socialites. Some of us prefer our own company. But almost without exception we all need SOME level of human interaction to remain healthy.

Look at the isolation of old people who go for days, weeks without seeing a soul. The tv is their only contact with the outside world. When a family member or friend eventually comes round, they are so starved of contact they will talk til they are hoarse. They will cling to you for info on outside matters, family friends etc. It is hard for them not to be resentful of their isolation. "I gave my life as a parent to them, least they could do is talk to me".

Look at the preparation for astronauts visiting Mars. A few people cooped up in a tin can for months, little contact from elsewhere and then maybe further years of isolation after landing. That is a recipe for a mental health problem ( and social interaction problem amongst the few crew) if ever there was one.

Prisoners in isolation in prison. Lights on all day. No human contact. It is a PUNISHMENT. We know this. That is why prisons and military torturers use this "technique".

Confusion can set in, frustration and a whole host of other emotions and so when you do come into contact with others after a prolonged period of time, the isolated person my have lost some social skills, and may come across as angry, ungrateful for the interaction and unable to relate to the person that has just entered their lives.

I personally feel that this kind of thing will continue to grow as a social problem as our cities grow, we have more and more single people living alone, a growing prison population etc etc.

Final thing. There is a great series of videos on YouTube regarding human isolation. In summary people will suffer mental pain and require some kind of stimulus to overcome their mental pain, even if that stimulus itself is physical pain.

Yes , that is how depression happened in my case

I'm most happy when I'm isolated from the world.