There are many instances in life where someone would feel the need to isolate themselves from other people. Some people do so to protect themselves after a bad time of it with others; others isolate themselves without even intending to. Social anxiety is a big deal, and until you suddenly realize that you have pulled yourself into a very lonely place, it’s not often that you could recognize how you got there.
If you have noticed that you no longer look for opportunities to be social, you avoid seeing your friends and family, and you spend more time indoors at home than you do outside, you could be isolating yourself. Isolation is a very vicious cycle. We separate ourselves for protection, and that’s not a natural habit to break. There are some people out there who don’t isolate themselves intentionally, and yet there they are, ignoring the world – afraid. Some people out there isolate themselves because of a medical condition, and if you don’t know how to deal with a physical issue, or even know how to deal with tinnitus that is affecting your ability to hear, isolation often seems like an easy way to go. Here’s the thing, though: shutting people out around us isn’t just a decision that the brain makes. Our body language and tone of voice have an impact on how we handle ourselves with others, and the more we are left alone, the less our bodies say, “hey, come and hang out with me”.
Signs Of Isolation
The signs of isolation are obvious if you know what to look for, but loneliness can be devastating for those who are living with it. It can have a disastrous effect on your physical health as well as your mental well-being, but what if you can’t tell that you’re isolating yourself from others? There are four clear signs that a person is isolated, and those include:
- Feeling a constant lack of interest and withdrawal from the world
- Losing interest in personal hygiene and feeling healthy on the outside
- Poor eating and lack of nutrition
- A lack of interest in cleaning the house and making surroundings look presentable
All of these signs can be individual or together, but they are a sure way to tell whether you are isolating yourself. It can be healthy to be alone, but if isolation is making you feel any of the above, it’s not good for you. Humans need people for support, love, friendship and laughter. Loneliness should not be a persistent problem. If you are dealing with isolating conditions like tinnitus, then you need to speak to an audiologist and try to overcome it rather than allow it to make you feel like you can’t function.
Learning whether you are isolating yourself is not always a comfortable conversation to have, but it’s one that will ensure that you aren’t suffering by yourself in the future. Take the time to fix your health so that you can live happier and for longer.
