Too Much Being Alone And Its Negative Consequences

That we are social beings is embedded in our DNA. People need others to survive both mentally and physically. So others are important to us. In fact, research shows that too much time can only have negative consequences.

However, that doesn’t mean that we should just accept any companionship we can get.

Several studies have shown that spending a lot of time alone can actually have consequences for our brains. But we are naturally inclined to seek the company of others and spend time with them.

On the other hand, we live in an era where that is not always easy. On the contrary, large crowds can make people want to live secluded.

Loneliness is a growing global epidemic. Many people today decide to live alone. Contacts within the communities in larger cities are under tension. As a result, people often feel left out.

Hence, companies sell human contact by the hour. And deep down, we all know it’s not wise to spend time on our own. But we don’t always know how to break this habit.

An interesting experiment

A study by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) published in Cell Journal showed that too much time only has demonstrable consequences on our behavior.

They experimented with rats and showed that loneliness actually leads to the build-up of a chemical in the brain. This made the rats increasingly anxious and aggressive.

The studies isolated a group of rats for weeks. After a while they got irritated. They also seemed to be more afraid of other rats and became hypersensitive to threats.

When a threat was perceived, the isolated rats went into a state of shock. And stayed in this for a long time after the threat was gone. The rats that were not isolated processed the stress much faster. And now the researchers assume the same is true for humans.

Tachykinin Peptides and the Effects of Being Alone Too Much

A previous study showed that fruit flies became more aggressive after long periods of isolation. In this study, the scientists managed to link a specific chemical to the change: tachykinin peptide. The longer they were alone, the higher the peptide level.

The Caltech researchers wanted to test whether the rats in their study also showed a build-up of this chemical. They concluded that this was indeed the case. However, in the rats the tachykinin peptides led to the production of neurokinin A. Our brains produce this substance in the hypothalamus and the amygdala.

It can thus be stated that prolonged isolation leads to an increased production of neurokinin A in rats. This substance makes them more aggressive and scared. The researchers also found that medication could help to resolve these symptoms, but not in a stable way.

We shouldn’t be alone too much

Being alone too much is not good for you. It does not lead to liberation or independence. On the contrary, it often leads to the opposite: you become more vulnerable. As a result, you end up in a vicious circle in which you isolate yourself more and more. You could even get sick of loneliness.

It is always possible to open yourself up to others. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to come out of your shell, but it’s definitely worth a try. As a result, you will take a step towards a healthier mental state.

Building bridges with other people is invaluable and something we should all do. It is one of the best ways to grow as a person.