The Effects of Loneliness on College Students

Social connections are among the most paramount experiences we need since they are essential to our well-being and mental and physical health. Every person desires to connect with others and find belonging. Failure to find belonging can lead to unpleasant, negative emotions like loneliness. Loneliness roots itself in a relationship's quantity or quality deficiency. How a person perceives deficit makes up the feeling of loneliness. Loneliness does not discriminate. Research reveals that most people experience loneliness at some point in life; however, college students are among the loneliest.

Let's look at the statistics. On college campuses all around the country, loneliness is a major problem. In 2017, the Foundation for Art and Healing surveyed 48,000 college students finding:

· 64% of them claimed to have experienced extreme loneliness in the previous year

· 62% expressed experiencing anxiety that was overwhelming

· 69% reported feeling extremely sad

· 53% said they were hopeless

· About 12% had seriously pondered suicide (Kaple, 2020).

Being alone and feeling lonely are two separate things. Solitude can be both powerful and healing while carrying no feelings of loneliness. On the other hand, a person surrounded by people can feel disconnected and alone. Loneliness has more to do with the quality of relationships rather than the number of relationships. Humans need more than someone's presence, but the presence of people who value them, trust them, communicate intentionally with them, and show care for them. Because of this, a person may feel alone in a crowd or socially content while alone.

Did you know there are different types of loneliness? Loneliness is a complex construct that includes three related facets or dimensions: (a) intimate loneliness, (b) relational loneliness, and (c) collective loneliness. Intimate loneliness or emotional loneliness describes the sensation of missing a significant person. This person could be a best friend or a spouse. Relational loneliness refers to the absence of quality friendships or family connections. Collective loneliness refers to someone's feeling of an absence from a valued social identity, like a school group or team.

Loneliness can be transient, meaning that it comes and goes quickly, only causing moments of distress. This type of loneliness is situational loneliness. Situational loneliness occurs during transitions like going to college, moving to a new town, or parents getting divorced. It is temporary and usually aided by social connections. Other people experience a longer term of loneliness. Long-term or chronic loneliness is feeling a lack of satisfying social connections that is persistent, leading to many mental and physical health problems. Temporary loneliness may develop into long-term loneliness if the underlying causes are unresolved.

Belonging is crucial. The need to belong is a vital psychological concept for young adults' flourishing and greater mental health in the educational setting. Maslow's hierarchy of needs reveals that "finding a sense of belonging in close social relationships and with our community is essential to our existence" (Brown, 2021, p. 154). We would not survive without one another. Belonging roots itself in connection. "Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment, and when they derive sustenance and strength from a relationship" (Brown, 2021, p. 169). For college students, characteristics of belonging feelings include being accepted, respected, included, and supported by teachers, friends, or other people in school. According to empirical research, college students with a strong feeling of belonging said they experienced fewer psychiatric problems, less loneliness, and better overall well-being.

Consequences of Loneliness. Loneliness isn't just a downer; it's got serious implications for our mental and physical well-being. Research has shown that feeling lonely is linked to a bunch of mental and physical health problems. On the mental side of things, loneliness hits hard because it makes us feel disconnected, separated, and like we don't belong. For college students dealing with loneliness, there's often an added layer of shame, making things even tougher. This feeling of being alone can also lead to some pretty serious stuff, like eating disorders, self-harm, social phobias, and even thoughts of suicide.

But it's not just our minds that take a hit. Loneliness messes with our cognitive functions too. On top of that, it's like a domino effect – loneliness can worsen depression, anxiety, and anger while also knocking down our self-esteem and optimism. Teens who struggle with loneliness are more likely to have a lower perception of their general health, leading them to make more trips to the doctor's office.

When it comes to our physical health, loneliness is a real troublemaker. Studies have shown that being lonely is associated with a higher risk of illness and even early death. It's like a silent danger that speeds up aging on the inside. Research indicates that the more times someone experiences loneliness throughout their life, the higher their risk of cardiovascular diseases. Loneliness is tied to factors like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and even how well our immune system functions. And the list goes on – loneliness is connected to an increased risk of dementia, hypertension, diabetes, and other health problems. It's like a snowball effect, leading to a bunch of issues like disrupted sleep, inflammation, and messed-up white blood cell ratios. All in all, loneliness isn't just about feeling alone – it's a serious matter that affects both our minds and bodies in ways we might not even realize.

How can counseling help? Therapists can help students manage the emotional turmoil of loneliness by providing techniques on how to handle their overwhelmed feelings and practice self-care. One goal a therapist may take is to help students combat unrealistic expectations or beliefs surrounding loneliness by helping them reframe how they see loneliness and take control of the situation. Other therapists may help students build their interpersonal skills, equipping them to tackle loneliness head-on. They may even help students shed those not-so-helpful emotions like hopelessness or self-blame. Putting all these strategies together -- emotions, thoughts, and behaviors -- is a powerful combo and can provide a toolkit to people walking through loneliness.

Are you struggling with loneliness? Do you know someone who is? Meeting with a counselor can help. Please reach out to me if I can help you.

References

Brown, B. (2021). Atlas of the heart. Random House.

Heckel, L.K. (2022). Intervention Paper: The Effects of Loneliness on College Students [Unpublished paper]. Division of Counseling, Indiana Wesleyan University