A person who is socially withdrawn removes themselves from encounters and interactions with others. There are many reasons why people may choose not to connect with others, including anxiety, fear, shame, vulnerability, potential rejection, and more. It can be a reflection of an underlying mental health condition.
Social withdrawal is the most common telltale sign of depression. "When we're clinically depressed, there's a very strong urge to pull away from others and to shut down," says Stephen Ilardi, PhD, author of books including The Depression Cure and associate professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.
A withdrawn person can be hard to find, and even if they're around, hard to talk to — withdrawn people don't like to talk, or they try to talk as little as possible. A person who is withdrawn from the rest of the world for a long period of time is a recluse — an extremely solitary, withdrawn person.
These can be signs of social withdrawal or social isolation. Social withdrawal is avoiding people and activities you would usually enjoy. For some people, this can progress to a point of social isolation, where you may even want to avoid contact with family and close friends and just be by yourself most of the time.
Withdrawal behavior encompasses many characteristics such as withholding work efforts, lateness, absenteeism, social loafing, and turnover (Sagie, Birati, & Tziner, 2002).
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), there are two types of withdrawal: acute withdrawal and protracted withdrawal.
The Notion of Psychological Withdrawal Symptoms
These symptoms include depression, anxiety, reduced motivation, difficulties experiencing pleasure, apathy, and even more serious symptoms, such as the development of hallucinations and delusions.
ADHD and emotional withdrawal — pulling away from friends, strangers, and loved ones alike — often go hand-in-hand. Withdrawal is a coping mechanism many women with ADHD learn from a lifetime of rejection, disappointment, and bullying. Breaking this unhealthy habit is not easy — but your relationships may depend on it.
Identifying Withdrawal
People may recognize symptoms of withdrawal when they stop taking or cut back on a substance. Missing your usual morning cup of coffee, for example, might result in symptoms of caffeine withdrawal such as fatigue, headache, and irritability.
The duration of physical withdrawal is typically three to five days; however, emotional withdrawal can be much longer. Some symptoms can be present for many months. Withdrawal symptoms can range widely and include depression, anxiety, anorexia, insomnia, and even suicidal thoughts or death.
Withdrawal as a Symptom
In some cases, withdrawal itself may be a symptom of anxiety. Many people that deal with stress feel an overwhelming urge to be alone. What's interesting, however, is that being alone may actually make the anxiety worse.
What Is Emotional Withdrawal? Emotional withdrawal is defined as pulling back emotionally or physically by bottling up your feelings or disconnecting from others. Emotional withdrawal can be complex at times. It is comparable to a breakup in every way but physical.
Isolation is a result of anxiety and depression in that some individuals use it as a self-induced coping mechanism to deal with excessive worry and avoid human interaction.
Key points. A third state of stress reaction exists between fight/flight and freeze: Withdrawal. Working with withdrawal lies at the core of trauma therapy.
Depending on the type of substance abused, the length of time the abuse has gone on, and how much is typically taken at once, withdrawal can include psychosis.
Trauma informs how we respond to threats, and how fast we move through this cycle. This means that trauma survivors often find themselves anxious, scared, combative, or shut-down in social situations. Clearly, people want to avoid this, which can result in social withdrawal.
Signs Of Withdrawn Behavior
It may look like turning down invitations and avoiding social interactions and situations, from parties and events to casual gatherings with friends and family. It may be especially concerning if you're typically a highly socially competant person.
She made a withdrawal from her checking account. He underwent rehab to help him through his withdrawal from heroin. She experienced symptoms of nicotine withdrawal after she quit smoking.
Listen to pronunciation. (with-DRAWL) A term used to describe the physical and mental symptoms that a person has when they suddenly stop or cut back the use of an addictive substance, such as opiates and opioids, nicotine products, or alcohol.
: socially detached and unresponsive : exhibiting withdrawal : introverted. a shy and withdrawn child. withdrawnness.
Symptoms of PTSD and addiction
Some of the signs and symptoms associated with both PTSD and addiction include: Withdrawal from friends and family. Avoidance (not wanting to be around reminders of past experiences) Anxiety and depression.