Loneliness can leave people feeling isolated and disconnected from others. It is a complex state of mind that can be caused by life changes, mental health conditions, poor self-esteem, and personality traits. Loneliness can also have serious health consequences including decreased mental wellness and physical problems.
Loneliness affects people in different ways, and for this reason there are four distinct types of loneliness identified by psychologists: emotional, social, situational and chronic.
Although frustrating, it's perfectly natural to be unhappy about being single. This is especially true if you feel lonely, hopeless about love, or isolated because all of your friends are in relationships. Whatever feelings you have, it's vital to cope with your unhappy feelings about being single.
Since no one can foretell the future, a single person cannot know for sure whether they will find someone who meets their expectations and subsequently marry them. It is this lack of clarity about the yet-to-be spouse that makes the loss ambiguous, and in turn difficult to manage or come to terms with.
You may have been single a long time for various reasons. Maybe you struggled with unresolved feelings after a difficult break-up, suffered from damaged self-esteem, or maybe you're simply too busy with work, friendships, and everything else that takes up time.
It's characterized by constant and unrelenting feelings of being alone, separated or divided from others, and an inability to connect on a deeper level. It can also be accompanied by deeply rooted feelings of self-doubt, low self-esteem, or social anxiety.
"There is absolutely no set time frame that counts as 'too long' for being single," says Megan Stubbs, EdD, a sexologist and relationship expert based in Michigan. Part of the reason why is because there's no set definition as what "being single" actually looks like.
Adverse health issues
This might come as a shock, but research has shown that 54% of people who stay single for a long time end up with health issues that later affect their love life. The most common health issues associated with extended single good include suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.
Feelings of loneliness, including romantic loneliness, can have a serious impact on health and well-being. Feeling isolated, unsupported, and lonely is linked to decreased immunity, worse sleep, lower cardiovascular health, and increased mental health problems.
We took a look at data gathered over the past year, comprised of more than 700,000 screenings, and noticed an interesting trend: people who selected “single” as their partnership status scored more highly consistent for symptoms of depression, than their counterparts.
Society believes that if you are not part of such a unit, you are probably incomplete, antisocial, and perhaps even dangerous. In turn, singles are made to feel less worthy. This is a major source of frustration and confusion for single people, young and old.
You can engage in solo or group activities that you enjoy and feel passionate about: examples include painting, running, spending time with your siblings, or volunteering. Additionally, focus your attention on improving existing relationships in your life, such as those with your friends and family members.
Young adults averaged 47.87, while those 65 and older, often assumed to be the most at risk of loneliness, scored an average of 40—the lowest score of any generational group. Simply living through a transitional stage of life into adulthood in today's world can be a lonely experience.
Published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a study found that people's expectations from interpersonal relationships undergo considerable changes as they age — resulting in them often feeling lonelier as they grow older, even if they're not alone.
Being single in your 30s doesn't mean you weren't with someone you thought you'd spend the rest of your life with. It also doesn't mean you'll stay single for the rest of your life too. But for now, as long as it takes to find the right one, you're single and life is easy.