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Monday July 11, 2016.
In 2013, five million people were in “isolation”. This results in little or no family, professional or friendly contacts… According to a study conducted by the Fondation de France, “poverty remains a determining factor in solitude”, which can itself become dangerous for health.
No more mental health issues
An Australian study conducted by Swinburne University of Technology found that feelings of loneliness could lead to more serious mental health problems like depression, social anxiety or paranoia.
In 2014, one in eight French people was alone and one in four seniors was also. In two years (from 2013 to 2015), the number of isolated people increased by four million, which in 2015 represented 15% of the population. To understand this situation that millions of people are experiencing, the study looked into the question by following 1,000 people aged 18 to 87, over a period of six months.
Note that depression and loneliness remain two very distinct psychological facts: loneliness relates more specifically to relationships, while depression more generally encompasses mental health.
People with anxiety are more likely to be alone in the future
According to a researcher at Swinburne University of Technology, Michelle Lim, for The Conversation, ” theloneliness is commonly used to describe a known negative emotional state when there is a difference between the relationships you want to have and the ones you actually have. (…) Researchers have found that loneliness (…) is more related to the quality of relationships, rather than quantity. A single person feels misunderstood by others, and thinks that they will never have meaningful relationships “.
The finding is such that loneliness is likely to increase the risk of mental health problems. The reverse is not proven, only social anxiety would increase the risk of loneliness, since these people generally avoid social interactions. Loneliness can also lead to poor physical health and increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Read also: Loneliness promotes heart problems