Isolation On Campus
According to the Surgeon General’s Advisory, a lack of social connection can increase the risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It has been declared a national epidemic. As college students, we experience many changes like moving away, new friends and a new city. Recent surveys have found that half of U.S. adults are experiencing loneliness. This could include you and/or your classmate next to you. Loneliness can affect your health, schoolwork and relationships.
Why is This Affecting College Students?
Loneliness in students can be the result of multiple different factors. According to a 2022 cross sectional study on the magnitude of and associated risks among university students states, “College students are more prone to feel lonely owing to the difficulty adjusting to new situations and creating new social contacts, as well as being removed from close relationships.” Starting a new stage in your life, while simultaneously trying to create friendships and maintain a social life can be a difficult feat. Academic stress could also be a contributing factor to loneliness, and stress can lead to anxiety and depression, which can cause self-isolation and loneliness.
A further cause for loneliness could be social media. According to research from "Effect of Loneliness on the Psychological Well-being of college students" from the International Journal of Social Science & Humanity, social media reduces the interconnectedness of communities. When posting on social media, people tend to highlight the interesting parts of their lives, causing us to feel like we’re missing out on the fun. Furthermore, if a post doesn’t receive enough attention or someone comments something mean on a post, this can further develop the loneliness we feel.
Effects of Loneliness in Our Lives
During college, we experience many stressors in our lives. Many changes happen during this time and if we don’t know how to adapt and change ourselves we might experience negative side effects. The Iranian Journal of Psychiatry talks about these impacts: “Evidence indicates that loneliness is related to various negative mental health
consequences. Related studies demonstrate that loneliness is connected to many negative issues such as hopelessness, depression, suicidal behavior, ineffective social skills, low sleep quality, reduced positive emotions and general health, as well as physiological changes”
The effects of loneliness are far-reaching. If we don’t combat loneliness, it can affect our general mood and health as time goes on. In students, a common theme among those that identify as lonely is low academic achievements. Loneliness can also lead to behaviors that harm our health long term such as eating unhealthy food, avoiding going outside or stopping exercise.
Another very serious effect of loneliness can be suicide. As mentioned previously, loneliness can have a serious impact on our mental health. When we feel low for long periods of time, this can affect how we view the world and lead to thoughts of suicidal ideation or attempts. If you have feelings of suicidal ideation please contact 988 by phone or text, a suicide crisis line available 24/7.
“The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide” stated, “Social isolation is arguably the strongest and most reliable predictor of suicidal ideation, attempts, and lethal suicidal behavior among samples varying in age, nationality, and clinical severity.”
How Can You Combat Loneliness?
According to an article from the McLean Hospital (2018), nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone. This isn’t just an epidemic that affects college students; it affects everyone. It’s important for us to have different skills available when we feel alone. McLean Hospital suggests one way to combat loneliness is by practicing gratitude, as studies have shown gratitude can help us be more positive. Another preventative measure is participating in activities such as a sports team, book club or volunteer effort. A final aspect is creating your own solitude. Enjoying your solitude means being alone but not lonely, having time to be with yourself or do activities you enjoy.
Spreading Awareness
Now that you have more knowledge about the prevalence of loneliness among college students, we hope you’ll consider the impact loneliness has, not just on students but on everyone. With so many of those around us feeling the effects of loneliness, it’s important to educate ourselves on this epidemic and how to cope with these feelings. Some ways we can cope with loneliness include practicing gratitude, participating in meaningful activities such as a club or volunteer opportunity and creating solitude that you enjoy.
Authors are human service profession students currently attending the University of Minnesota- Duluth. They are determined to raise awareness of the epidemic of loneliness in college students.