Isolation - Living Oneself

A large body of psychological research underscores the importance of human contact. Symptoms of social isolation can be detrimental to human health¹ leading to actual physical pain², poor sleep, a compromised immune system, cognitive decline³, and even death⁴. Loneliness can also lead to violence in adolescents and young men because “sometimes feeling lonely makes you feel angry and then you act crazy.”⁵

 

In the age of social media, more and more people are feeling isolated and depressed. According to one study by the Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health at the University of Pittsburgh⁶, "social media use was significantly associated with increased depression" in young adults. It is not clear, however, if study subjects used more social media because they felt lonely and depressed, or the other way around. Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms have changed the long-held notion of friendship. They have replaced real relationships with online relationships, which tend to be superficial and ultimately dissatisfying. A study in Computers in Human Behavior concluded that Online social contacts are “not an effective alternative for offline social interactions.”⁷ Loneliness might be a passing emotion for some but it’s a recurring sense of desperation and sadness for others.

 

 

Footnotes:

¹https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-ooze/201611/the-perils-social-isolation

²https://science.sciencemag.org/content/302/5643/290

³https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mild-cognitive-impairment

⁴https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation

⁵https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-crisis-connection/201912/the-cultural-roots-loneliness-and-violence

⁶https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26783723

⁷https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563213003063

 

The two images depicting isolation and loneliness on this page were selected for exhibition Isolation. Living Oneself curated by LoosenArt to be held at Millepiani Exhibition Space from March 6 to April 2, 2020. LoosenArt is an online gallery and platform dedicated to contemporary visual artists.