Lonely Myths

Not true! That's why it's called The Happiness Myth

People have a bias toward believing everyone else's success, especially when they're under stress and influenced by social media

Question 2

True or false, loneliness is just a mental state

Actually, it's a little bit of a trick question, due to our immune response, loneliness could impact our physical health as much as smoking!

A study done in 2017 took two groups and isolated them after they were infected with a virus

LeRoy, the scientist in charge of the study, showed that perceived loneliness was linked to self-reported illness

Question 3

When you feel lonely, are you more or less likely to accept social invitations?

Oddly enough, less likely!

The feeling of loneliness can become self-perpetuating if we don't actively make ourselves do different things

It's called the "activation motivation paradox" and it's basically the fact that things don't become motivating until *after* we've started them

But once you start doing them, these habits become self-perpetuating

It's like how you wouldn't leave the house in the morning without brushing your teeth

These habits become second nature until you no longer need motivation to do them

Question 4

True or false: Being alone and loneliness are the same thing

Nope!

Some people could be alone for most of their lives and never be lonely, while others can be surrounded by people and feel lonely. 

In fact, this kind of loneliness is common. 

It is interesting to note, there are some studies finding that with all the ways we have to distract ourselves, social media, video games, movies, TV, there are some people who can dull the feelings of loneliness, but still experience some of the bad effects. It's a good idea to check in with yourself and also check in with friends if you've been alone for more than a few days without chatting with anyone on the phone or in person.

Ok, Question 5

True or false: People with lots of friends or a long term partner don't feel lonely

This is false, anyone can feel lonely - it is the perception of feeling connected that matters, not the size of the social network.

It can be a great help to find groups you can build or join to improve your weekly social interactions, especially by phone or in person. We really do best when we can have some face-to-face interaction with people, especially when we've felt lonely or isolated. 

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