Loneliness – How do we really define it? Sometimes loneliness is something that a person chooses, and sometimes it comes to them. 

Sometimes loneliness is when you have no one around, and at other times it might also surface when you are in a room filled with people. The feeling of emptiness is what accompanies loneliness. So, to identify if one is feeling lonely, look out for the following signs:

• • No close or best friends
  • Negative feelings about self
  • Low self-esteem
  • Inability to form intense and deeper connections

Such undesired effects may occur in various situations, a heightened sense of loneliness may be because of psychological distress, shifted interest, alcoholism, medical issues, shift in relationship dynamic, addiction to substances or the virtual world, employment or unemployment, lack of self-love, indifference to self and others and so on. 

Loneliness can result in a lot of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, sleep troubles, eating disorders,  and stress-related issues. A contributing factor to this issue has recently become the virtual world. With the internet at almost every individual’s fingertips, we are more dependent on the virtual world than ever. From socializing to shopping, business to job, education to playing games, marketing to entertainment, we have got every and any possible content of interest at our fingertips.

 Already, the issue at hand was growing exponentially when the COVID-19 pandemic stepped into the picture; our relations with the virtual world have also increased. For some, this might not feel like a big issue, and some might actually like it. Though the terminology is ‘social’, it is bringing us farthest from socializing. With chatting platforms, different calling features, attractive advertisements, mate-meeting platforms, entertainment and gaming facilities, individuals feel a minimal need for physical interaction.

 The rate has shockingly decreased in people wanting to physically socialize with one another. With an increased rate of psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and some social disorders. The virtual world has provided a shoulder to cry on, causing a toxic relationship between the user and what it has to offer. Though some content gives us pleasure, some may trigger our weak points, along with depriving us of the opportunity to explore life physically.

With most individuals spending quantity time on the internet, they get overindulged in the activities there. An unsaid understanding between most individuals exists here concerning different platforms and different types of communication. For example, WhatsApp or Telegram is used mostly for chatting and people are expected to have a conversation there, whereas, Instagram is used for media sharing and it is okay to not carry a conversation there, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet is for formal use and people do not expect to have video conferences with friends there, Pinterest or YouTube is for media surfing and not at all for chatting. Like this, people have formed an unsaid bridge of understanding across the globe.

The introduction of just media-sharing apps may have contributed to people feeling lonelier than the interactive platforms. On these platforms, people may feel lonely for multiple reasons. It gives one the opportunity to compare their own life positively or negatively with those more or less successful than them, which may also cause an inferiority complex or a superiority complex. 

Along with this, it may build up unrealistic desires and expectations, causing shifts in one’s ideologies, desires and preferences. With the internet offering positive and negative content, it can be beneficial, as well as destructive. An example of destructive influence can be gaming addiction, where people of all ages may choose to alienate most of their responsibilities and be overindulgent in their phones, which may also be in case with simple phone addiction too. 

But what adds to gaming addiction is the violent, graphic content in it. In the past year, due to the pandemic, the virtual world has come to the rescue of people by offering almost everything one needs to pass their 24 hours, but at the same time, it has also made them dependent and extremely isolated.