Social Isolation and the Growth of Mental Illness
Struggles with mental illness can make it difficult to interact with others. Depression can make you feel unmotivated to spend time with others, even people who you love and with whom you used to love socializing. Meanwhile, anxiety and post-traumatic stress can make social interaction feel too stressful. It’s all too common for people struggling with mental illness to isolate themselves from social interaction. Worse, those who haven’t seen a psychiatrist in Tallahassee, FL, for mental illnesses may not understand their symptoms and may withdraw from others unconsciously.
But sadly, withdrawing from others may actually promote mental illness, even while it offers momentary reprieve from the stresses in the outside world. This includes the real-world effects of isolation, including strain on relationships with family and friends, difficulty retaining a romantic partner, and even interference with your work life. Below are more ways in which social isolation can actually contribute to mental illness.
A Culture of Isolation
These days, it’s far too easy to isolate yourself. Social media creates momentary satisfaction, briefly simulating social interaction without actually producing the long-term happiness that comes from having meaningful relationships with others. Far too often, people socialize online more than they do in person and can feel unsatisfied, as if they’ve tried to fill up a hungry stomach with nutrition-empty snacks.
The truth is that your mind craves social interaction. However, it can be difficult to get it. Thankfully, those who visit a psychiatry clinic can learn the tools to help foster safe and empowering relationships with others.
Stigma and Mental Illness
Another unfortunate link between social isolation and mental illness lies in the social stigma toward those who suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. They can be judged, mistrusted, or even rejected by family members, friends, and the public. In some subcultures, mental illness is perceived as weakness or imaginary struggles, as if the sufferer is intending to attract pity. However, there’s more than enough research demonstrating that mental illness is a category of real illnesses, most of which require treatment.
There are also clear links between mental illness and unemployment or even homelessness. Stigma can follow those who struggle with mental illness into various facets of their public and private lives.
The Link
Studies have shown that social isolation is both a symptom and cause of mental illness. Those who isolate themselves feel more mental distress and have fewer people with whom they can share their struggles. A top psychiatrist can help their patients reduce feelings of mental distress, and this is a key reason why people are urged to see a psychiatrist for depression and other mental illnesses. A trained expert in mental illness can help sufferers to understand their symptoms, develop tools to improve their lives, and feel motivated to take on healthy habits.
Moving Forward
While the public may still struggle to understand mental illness or treat it like any other physical illness, it’s important for advocates of mental health tolerance to share how common mental illness really is, how to treat it, and how to seek help. When the public learns to accept those who suffer from mental illness, people who are seeking treatment can feel less shame and isolation. This can also help slow the growth of mental illness in those who are prone to developing symptoms.
If you feel that you’re suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, or any other mental illness, visit a psychiatrist in Tallahassee, FL. The caring and understanding team at Florida First Psychiatry Specialist can help you feel empowered to face mental illness, cope with your symptoms, and learn to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life. Call us today at 850-765-8120 to discuss your symptoms and schedule an appointment.
Florida First Psychiatry Specialist
Dr. Prasanti Tatini, Psychiatrist
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