Social Isolation

At some point in our lives, we have all felt the need to be alone and we withdraw a little from those around us. This is totally normal. However, when this isolation is indefinite and the person stops maintaining all kinds of relationships with the rest of their environment, the situation must be viewed carefully. We are facing a problem of social isolation.

Social isolation, also known as “social withdrawal”, occurs when a person withdraws completely from their environment involuntarily even though they may think otherwise. This condition occurs in people of all ages. It can be a consequence of traumatic events in your history, such as being a victim of bullying, or as part of a medical condition, such as depression.

Causes of social isolation

Although different studies have been carried out to identify the specific causes of social isolation, the reality is that these are very diverse and depend on each particular situation. In some cases it may be because the person has experienced abnormal conditions in childhood, such as having been a victim of bullying.

It may also be that they have been under extreme overprotection that prevented them from interacting in a normal way with other people their age. Generating, in this way, a lack of security and knowledge to establish new relationships as an adult.

Another case occurs when the person has some type of medical condition that complicates or makes it impossible to leave. In this situation, it is possible to find people who, after a medical accident, completely separate themselves from other people.

It is also possible to find this condition in people who do not suffer from an extreme medical condition. However, they face medical conditions that distance them or generate stereotypes, such as some mental disorders.

Consequences of social isolation

Those who live under this condition often face various situations and problems, the most common and serious being depression. Various studies that have been carried out indicate that people who live in social isolation tend to have learning, attention and decision-making problems.

This is because when we do not relate to our environment, our brain does not receive the appropriate stimuli and does not work properly. For this reason, people living in social isolation may seem a bit clumsy or slow when making decisions.

What do I do if I live in social isolation?

If you have already realized that you live under this condition and you really want to get out of it, the first thing you should do is look for the social circles in which you feel comfortable and start visiting them. For example, if you like dogs and you have one, you can take him for a walk in the park.

This way, you will start to socialize with other dog owners. To get out of social isolation it is essential that you open yourself to new experiences, that you learn to get out of your comfort zone and that you put yourself in new situations. Investigate yourself and look for new experiences that “force” you to leave the house and interact with other people. The first steps may be the ones that cost you the most, but little by little you will notice more ease.

The principles are complicated

You may not feel like it at first and it will be very difficult for you. However, you will realize how good it feels to leave that area where you feel so comfortable, even if it is not really that way at all. Well, depression and low self-esteem make you feel bad. Without realizing it, you will go out of a vicious circle in which you have been entering almost without realizing it. Although sometimes you will want to be alone, but you will begin to value the company and you will like to go out from time to time.

In reality, isolation camouflages or is the justification for a much deeper motive. Discovering it and coping with it will be important in order to enjoy life and be happy. We all have a need to interact with others. Analyze yourself and inquire within yourself. Look for what’s behind the isolation: shyness? unsafety? Fear of ridicule? All this is in our minds and, in reality, it does not exist. They are thoughts created from experiences, but it means that they are real, only that we have believed them.

So, it’s time to get out there to interact, to eat the world and put social isolation aside. Because it is one thing to want to be alone to disconnect and dive into ourselves and another, very different, not to be able to relate to anyone. It is in the latter case that we must make an effort and begin to get up and walk, slowly but surely. Go ahead, don’t be afraid!