Introvert, extrovert, or in between, everyone experiences loneliness in one way or another. Loneliness may look different amongst all types of people. Our experiences with loneliness are never the same, and the way we deal with it will differ as well. According to Alex Tze Kin Ng, loneliness is “a profound sense of social isolation, exacerbated by a perceived lack of resources and support within the healthcare setting.” In simpler terms, loneliness is the extreme feeling of lacking social support.

Esteban Ortiz-Ospina says in Edu that “loneliness describes a subjective feeling.” Therefore, this means that our experiences with loneliness are unique to ourselves. Oftentimes people mistake aloneness for loneliness. Esteban found that there was little correlation between living alone and feeling lonely, and states that “being alone and feeling lonely are not the same.” Being physically alone does not necessarily mean that someone feels lonely.

I interviewed Gail Weiland who previously worked as a therapist with adults with mental illness, and now as a social worker. She describes loneliness in her patients as being withdrawn or seeming like they have no sense of belonging or connection with others. Patients may appear lonely even in a group setting, she says. In this blog post, I will dissect some of the various causes of loneliness in college students and the effects it may have on their lives, and discuss some steps they can take to cope with this issue. 

Why This is an Important Topic

Loneliness is a normal feeling that everyone experiences. However, if someone’s loneliness is affecting their everyday life, this is an important topic to discuss because it may become a risk for health concerns in the long run.

“Everyone needs a sense of purpose,” Gail states, and, “without connections, it is hard to know your purpose.” Humans are social beings so it is necessary that we have human contact. Rachel talks about the importance of socialization amongst humans and calls it one of the “most basic essentials.” For example, orphans who lacked physical touch would suffer and seniors who did not get enough human interaction became lonely, Rachel says.

What This Means for College Students

Whether romantic or platonic, humans’ needs of socialization should be met and they should have some sort of a support system. College is a great opportunity for people to meet others who are around the same age. Rachel says that “college is for life experiences,” like making new friends, finding romance, and learning other life skills, not just about academics. College students should learn how to prioritize their social abilities because it will benefit them in the future when they find a real job and must work with others.

Causes and Effects of Loneliness in College

Are Some People Affected More than Others?

Although loneliness affects everyone, some people are more prone to it than others for various reasons. One reason may be a person’s age. Esteban conducted a study and found that people aging from 16 to 24 may feel more lonely than those aged 65 years and older. Rachel Maldonaldo, a therapist from Hinsdale, Illinois, mentioned how social media can play a big role in the causes of college students’ loneliness. Younger people are more easily influenced, therefore they are more susceptible to feeling lonelier than older people.

Another determinant of people’s experiences with loneliness, according to researchers for International Psychogeriatrics, may depend on their personality type. For example, introverts may thrive on less social interaction in comparison to extroverts who might require more.

Additionally, Gail talks about how people who stand out may be ostracized and therefore feel more lonely than others. For example, cultural differences, as used in example by researchers for the Journal of American College Health, and language barriers have an effect on loneliness and can make it difficult for people to connect. Other factors, like having a disability or a different physical appearance, may make someone more susceptible to loneliness.

The Causes

Loneliness stems from all different sorts of circumstances. I can only name a few. Some common causes in college students’ loneliness includes:

1.      Being Away from Home, Friends, and Family

I interviewed Claire Moses, my good friend whom I attended a previous university with, on her experience in dealing with loneliness in college. Claire is from California and had attended a university in Michigan for a few semesters. As I uncovered in Claire’s interview, her loneliness had an effect on almost every aspect of her day-to-day life.

Claire mentioned that “learning to be independent so far away from home” was challenging since it meant spending most of her time away from home and from old friends and family.

2.      Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is most prevalent in the fall and winter. Claire spoke about her struggles with SAD and explained how it would cause her to isolate herself. She sometimes had a hard time getting out of bed due to severe depression and the lack of a roommate caused her to sometimes go days without seeing anyone at all.

3.      Mental Illnesses: Depression and Social Anxiety

Depression can make it difficult for people to physically go out and socialize and find their support system. Those with “social anxiety disorder (SAD) are more likely to feel lonely,” says researchers from Australian Journal of Psychology, because it hinders people’s ability to make new friends.

4.      New Environment

Adjusting to new environments and figuring out where they belong can be a challenge for many people, especially those struggling with social anxiety.

5.      Gender Roles

Rachel mentioned a noticeable difference between her male patients and her female patients. The males seemed to be uninterested in investing in making friends because they feel they should be okay with being alone. However, females, on the other hand, wanted more friends and seemed to thrive better in social environments.

6.      Lack of Genuine Friendships

People might see someone who is “popular” and feel jealous that they have so many friends. However, Rachel spoke on how these “popular” people may oftentimes feel like they lack genuine friendships.

7.      Social Media

Another big determinant of loneliness is social media. These days, social media has such a grand impact on our daily lives. We regularly view media that is fabricated. For example, our peers may post a lot about going out and doing fun things, and we may feel like we are missing out. We compare ourselves to a made up version of others.

8.    COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had lingering effects for many people, says the researchers for Death Studies. Being forced into social isolation created experiences of severe loneliness among many, and to this day makes it challenging for some to find those connections they once had.

9.      Lack of a Romantic Relationship or a Breakup

Many people associate their feelings of loneliness with the lack of having a romantic partner or from breakups, according to Sam Fardghassemi for Plos. Rachel talked about how some partners in a romantic relationship may be too busy to invest time into the relationship, causing the other partner to feel lonely.

10.        Easier to Isolate

Some people may feel as though it is easier to isolate themselves from others than to put in the effort to socialize, says Gail.

11.        Low Income Status

People living in lower class homes may be more susceptible to loneliness than others. This is because they don’t have the same opportunities to participate in activities that those with higher income status have. Gail uses some of her students, for example. Some students can’t join a sport because they have to pay for it, so they miss out on their chance to socialize and bond with their peers.

The Effects

Loneliness can have an effect on different aspects of our overall well-being and it may look different for everyone. These effects may be put into categories, which includes:

• Physical effects

• Psychological effects

• Social affiliation

• Academic Performance

Physical Effects

In some cases, loneliness may have physical effects on someone. In a study published in Psychiatry Research, researchers found that “lonely individuals exhibit higher rates of morbidity and mortality.” Furthermore, Alex states, “social isolation significantly increases an individual’s risk of premature death…” For example, heart failure patients who felt lonely had “a near 400% increase in risk of death.”

In my interview with Rachel, she discussed the effects loneliness has on her patients. She mentioned how their sleep habits would be affected which led to a decrease in their physical health. She also spoke on the positive relationship the mind and body have. If someone is experiencing a psychological illness such as loneliness, it can also make their physical illnesses worse.

Psychological Effects

Claire spoke of the toll her loneliness took on her mental health. “The constant feeling of being alone led to self-doubt and overthinking,” Claire said. Additionally, as Rachel mentioned social media having an effect on our loneliness, this can also have psychological effects on ourselves. If we constantly compare ourselves to others, we will feel like we are not enough or not valuable to others.

Gail also notes that people may turn their loneliness inwards which leads to lower self esteem, depression, anxiety, and withdrawal. She also says that loneliness may increase the challenges of mental health issues and impacts their overall level of happiness.

Social Affiliation

Being lonely may cause us to turn to anyone within reach and we might accept toxic relationships for the comfort of having company. Claire experienced unhealthy relationships “simply because [she] was lonely and needed company.”

Rachel spoke on the effect that social isolation plays on our social abilities. If we isolate ourselves too often from other people, we begin to lose our social abilities and socializing may become overwhelming.

Gail mentions that some patients will retreat to the Internet or make online friends. She says that this is not the same as real life connections and can’t fulfill their social needs long term.

Academic Performance

Claire found that the effects from loneliness also got in the way of her academic performance. Her grades began to slip because she would skip classes and neglect studying due to mental exhaustion. Rachel also mentioned that her patients who experienced loneliness had decreased levels of productivity.