Social Isolation: How Does It Impact Your Substance Use Patterns?

Humans have an intrinsic need to connect with others. They need to be able to share their thoughts and feelings with others. Hence, it has been concluded over time, social wellness is not just a 'nice to have' aspect of one's life, it is a necessity. 

Social isolation is more than just feeling alone; it can have harmful consequences. Not only is it one of the factors affecting your mental health, but it can also harm your physical well-being. 

Also read: The Secret to Lasting Friendships

In this article, we take you through the impact of social isolation on an individual's life to help you understand when it’s time to seek help.

What does social isolation mean?

Social Isolation is used interchangeably with loneliness, but experts strive to create a distinction. 

You don't have to be physically alone to feel lonely. Loneliness refers to the subjective experience of feeling alone. It refers to feeling emotionally disconnected from others. 

Many people crave solitude and value their alone time, which can be rejuvenating. However, social isolation refers to an objective lack of social networks and community that is unhealthy and unwanted. Individuals are physically alone and have little or no access to their community, friends, or family. 

Although there is some distinction between these two terms, both experiences can significantly impact an individual's well-being. It is one of the primary factors affecting one's mental health and can also harm your physical health as well. 

Also read: How Important is Self-care to Your Overall Mental Health?

How does social isolation affect you?

Social networks are comforting. Interactions with others offer a different perspective and help us cope with difficult experiences or feelings. Without social support, feelings of loneliness worsen; it can impact your mental health significantly, and even lead to addiction. 

Worsening signs of depression and anxiety

Social Isolation is one of the primary factors affecting one's mental health. Loneliness worsens when individuals do not have contact with their social network. With increased loneliness comes the increased risk of anxiety, signs of depression, and in some cases, thoughts of suicide.

Not only can social isolation contribute to worsening mental health conditions, but it can also worsen their symptoms. Thus, for individuals who already struggle with anxiety or depression, it is crucial to ensure easy access to their social network.

Increased stress

Social support can act as a buffer against stress, especially in early adolescents or young adults. Besides actual support, even perceived social support can be effective in moderating the effects of stressful situations. A reliable social network encourages healthy coping strategies, and away from indulging in negative habits. 

Hence, social isolation can increase the harmful effects of stress. It pushes one's body into a constant 'fight-or-flight' state. This heightened state is not only harmful to one's mental health but can affect their physical well-being as well. 

Risk of addiction

Without a reliable support system, people may turn to unhealthy coping strategies. Substances such as drugs or alcohol are often used as a form of self-medication to tune out extreme emotions. Hence, as social isolation worsens signs of depression and anxiety, people turn to these substances.

Particularly, social isolation can be worse for those who already struggle with addiction or are on the road to recovery. Social support plays an important role in one’s recovery from any kind of substance abuse. It’s when people who care constantly motivate you and remind you why you chose the road to recovery, that you start actually believing that you can get over your addiction. 

Also read: Spotting the Warning Signs of Alcohol Addiction in Yourself or a Loved One

Thus, effective treatment for mental health conditions needs to consider the impact of social isolation on an individual. Without understanding how social isolation can affect one's mental health, choosing the right treatment plan is challenging. 

It's hard to understand how one can cope with feelings of social isolation. While it is easy to turn to unhealthy habits such as drug or alcohol use, these only provide short-term relief. In the long run, professional support and healthy self-care habits are key to helping you deal with such experiences. 

Sources: 

1. Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
2. Kadotani, H., Okajima, I., Yang, K., & Lim, M. H. (2022). Editorial: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on mental health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1106216
3. Isolation, N. (2021, October 27). What is social isolation? No Isolation. https://www.noisolation.com/research/what-is-social-isolation
4. Recovery, F. B. (2022, April 20). The Effects of Social Isolation and Addiction. Footprints Beachside Recovery. https://footprintsbeachside.com/addiction-recovery-blog/effects-of-social-isolation/