Is Virtual World Making Us Lonely?

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 on other times it might all 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 effect may occur in various situations, heightened sense of loneliness maybe because of psychological distress, shifted interest, alcoholism, medical issues, shift in relationship dynamic, addiction to substance or the virtual world, employment or unemployment, lack of self-love, indifference to self and others and so on. Loneliness can result into a lot of mental health issues like depression, anxiety, sleep troubles, eating disorders and stress related issues. A contributing factor to this issue has recently become the virtual world. With 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 COVID-19 pandemic stepped into the picture, our relations with the  virtual world has 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 advertisement, mate-meeting platforms, entertainment and gaming facilities, individuals feel a menial need for physical interaction. The rate has shockingly decreased of people wanting to physically socialize with one another. With increased rate in psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and some social disorders. The virtual world has provided the 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 the opportunity to explore life physically. 

With most individual’s spending quantity time on the internet, they get overindulged with 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.

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 maybe gaming addiction where people of all age may choose to alienate most of their responsibility and be overindulged in their phones which maybe in case of 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, virtual world has come to rescue 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.