Loneliness Among Young Adults 

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What is the difference between being alone and being lonely? A person can be alone and feel fine, whereas loneliness is an emotional experience. For example a person who is lonely might still feel that way even in a crowd of people. The U.S. Surgeon General wrote an advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and referred to it as a public health crisis. Loneliness not only increases the risk of mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Loneliness also has been shown in studies to increase the risk of physical health challenges such as increased risk of dementia, premature death, increased risk of heart disease by 30%, and increased risk of stroke by 30%.  The Office of the Surgeon General found that in the US- 50% of adults experience loneliness and amongst the Gen Z population (ages 18-25), 78% of young adult experience loneliness. While social connection had been declining for decades prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders raised awareness about this critical and ongoing public health concern. Additionally as technology advances, it has an impact on our sense of social connection and can both detract from or help grow our sense of social connection depending on an individual’s use. By increasing your sense of social connection, you have a greater chance at improved physical and mental health. See below for ways to enhance social connections. When looking at our own social connections, we can easily identify “weak ties” and “strong ties.” Strong ties are close family and friends, whereas weak ties are more casual interactions with strangers or people we recognize throughout our day. An example of a weak tie interaction would be talking to your cashier at the grocery store.

Ways to Increase Sense of Social Connection :

  1. Increase strong ties with close family member and friends. Sometimes this can be difficult depending on proximity of strong ties; the closer one live to their strong ties, the easier. A person might set a goal for themselves to talk on the phone with one close tie every week. This can also be done by planning ahead a FaceTime call with a strong tie, planning a time to meet up over a walk outside, or planning a time to have a meal with a strong tie. Keep in mind that not every persons' social needs will look the same. One person's need to connect with a strong tie might be daily, while another person's need to connect with a strong tie might be monthly. If you find yourself feeling lonely, that might be an indicator to increase you frequency of strong tie connections.

  2. Other ways to increase weak ties include: making conversation with someone at a gym or workout class, asking the barista or bank teller how their day is going, holding the door for someone and wishing them a wonderful day, chatting with another parent at the playground, etc. Previous research did not acknowledge the benefits of casual interactions on mental health, however recent studies are showing that increased weak ties are correlated with increased happiness and well-being.

  3. Get involved with your community by trying any of the following: join a gym, try a new yoga studio, volunteer at an animal shelter, volunteer at a local food bank, join a church, check out your township’s webpage for local groups and activities, check out your area’s Facebook page for local meet-ups, join a young professionals group, check out a local brewery, organize an event for your co-workers, join a support group, move into an apartment complex with other young adults, get a dog meet other dog owners while walking your dog or taking your dog to the park. Getting involved in the community increases a person's chances at creating strong ties, engaging in weak tie interactions, and feeling engaged in their environment.

Signs of Loneliness : Signs of loneliness vary from person to person. Some emotional symptoms of loneliness include: feeling isolated or disconnected from others, feeling like no one understands or cares, experiencing a sense of emptiness or void, feeling anxious or fearful in social situations, feeling withdrawn or unmotivated, and difficulty forming close relationships. Behavioral symptoms of loneliness may include: avoiding social events or interactions, spending excessive time alone, neglecting personal hygiene or appearance, engaging in unhealthy coping mechanisms (such as substance abuse or overeating). Other signs of loneliness could be: increased irritability, feeling like a burden to others, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, fatigue or lack of energy, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, headaches or body aches, and increased blood pressure. 

If you are experiencing loneliness or other mental health related concerns and feel like you need extra support, seeking help through the form of counseling can be an effective option for you. You are not alone in your sense of loneliness and by putting effort into yourself, this can change. 

The mental health therapists at our office offer counseling for a variety of issues including trauma using EMDR, depression, anxiety, grief, and couples counseling. We work with kids, teens, adults, and couples. We also offer online counseling services which can be great for people with busy schedules or for people who live in parts of Pennsylvania with limited counseling options. You can check out our website to see the full list of counseling services that we offer. Or, Schedule An Appointment here.