Summary: Most people feel lonely at times, and most get past it. But some stay lonely for a long time. That raises their risk of health problems of the body and mind. A new study suggests some groups are more likely to stay lonely. These include some ethnic groups, people living in poverty and people with few ties to their community.
Everyone goes through hard times. Sometimes we feel lonely, or even choose to be alone for a while. Being alone may sometimes even help us sort things out. But long-lasting loneliness is a different thing. At the very least, it is frustrating. It may raise the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. It may even harm physical health. No one wants it. Still, many people suffer from deep, long-lasting loneliness. Researchers have found some risk factors for loneliness that lasts.
At certain times, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more likely to feel lonely. Being cut off from others raises the risk. So it is vital to keep lonely spells short, to protect mental and physical health.
In the new study, researchers surveyed 641 people by phone. Their average age was 63. The study focused on older people on purpose, since they are more likely to be lonely. In the survey, 16% said they stayed lonely. Another 22% said they felt lonely early in the pandemic but later adjusted. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
The researchers looked closely at people who said they got past their loneliness with time. Of them, 53% were white, and only 18% were Hispanic/Latinx. So some ethnic groups have a harder time getting past loneliness. That puts them at risk of many health problems, and even substance use disorders.
They also found a strong link between income and the ability to get past loneliness. Of those living above the poverty line, 71% got past their loneliness. Of those living in poverty, only 29% did.
Researchers noted that some ethnic groups and people in poverty may have a harder time getting past loneliness. But a person’s own traits matter too. People who get past it are better at reaching out and making friends.
Among people who got past their loneliness, only 26% were socially cut off. Among those who stayed lonely, 40% were. Also, older adults are more likely to live with a chronic illness like diabetes, stroke or cancer. That puts them at greater risk of feeling lonely.
The link between poverty and loneliness is fairly easy to explain. It is harder to see why some ethnic groups face more risk. It seems to come down to culture. For example, Hispanic and Latinx families are often larger and more likely to get together. But social distancing during the pandemic made those gatherings hard. So these groups felt more lonely.
Some ethnic groups are also more religious. Social distancing meant fewer religious events and services, which may have made things worse. People living in poverty have fewer ways to see friends online. They have poor access to medical help, tests and so on. All of this may affect how much they can socialize. Many of them also have no car. So they traveled less during the pandemic.
Other things, apart from race or income, may also sharply raise the risk of lasting loneliness. These include long-term illness, losing a spouse, disability, mental health problems and more. During the pandemic, people faced a higher risk of staying lonely. Researchers say that calls for help like peer support and friendship phone lines. Anxiety experts also suggest closer attention to mental health care, including post-traumatic stress disorder treatment.
Frequently asked questions
What are the risk factors for persistent loneliness?
A survey of 641 older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic found who stayed lonely. It was more likely to last in Hispanic and Latinx people, in people living in poverty and in people with few ties to their community. Only 29% of those in poverty got past it, compared with 71% of those above the poverty line. Long-term illness, losing a spouse, disability and mental health problems also raise the risk.
How does prolonged loneliness affect you?
Short spells of loneliness pass. Some people even use them to sort things out. Loneliness that lasts is different. It raises the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. It can harm the body, and it is linked to drug and alcohol problems. Older adults with diabetes, stroke or cancer are more likely to feel lonely in the first place.
How do you overcome chronic loneliness?
In this study, people who got past their loneliness were better at reaching out and making friends. Far fewer of them were cut off from others: 26%, compared with 40% of those who stayed lonely. When loneliness has set in, the researchers point to peer support and friendship phone lines. They also point to mental health care, including care for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Why is loneliness harder to overcome for people living in poverty?
People living in poverty have fewer ways to connect with friends online and less access to medical help and tests. Often they have no car, so they traveled less during the pandemic. Each of those cuts off a path back to other people. For some ethnic groups, losing big family gatherings and religious services during social distancing made loneliness worse.
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
