subject: The Science And Psychology Of Loneliness [print this page] In psychology loneliness is described as "a felt discrepancy between the types of relationships the individual perceives himself as having and what he would like to have" (Schmidt &Sermat, 1983, p. 1039; Sermat, 1980). This leads to a cognitive discrepancy which causes stress and anxiety; in other words, the negative feelings of loneliness. It is important to recognize that being alone is not synonymous with being alone, rather the psychology of loneliness deals with the distress one feels when relationships with individuals or groups is not satisfying.
Therapy for Loneliness
Because loneliness is often hard to clinically define, and often treated in terms of depression, specific treatment for loneliness runs a wide gamut of approaches. From self-help treatment to more formal clinical approaches, the good news is that loneliness and the attendant negative emotions and thoughts that accompany it can be overcome with time and effort.
Self-help
This is the most common type of help for loneliness that people seek. For the vast majority of people, suffering from loneliness is only a temporary situation. Self-help approaches are easy to find in books, magazines, online and even through casual conversation with friends and family. Seeking help with loneliness through one's own effort is the most common approach. Some self-help approaches claim to provide a cure for loneliness, and this can be true depending on the depth of loneliness one feels. It is important for those suffering from loneliness to know that there are more formal therapies available if self-help does not improve things.
Formal Therapies for Loneliness
For those where self-help has not been successful and help with loneliness is still needed, there are a number of more formal proven approaches. These include:
Individual Therapy: These are one-on-one sessions in which the therapist helps the patient. The typical cycle of care includes:
Identify the root cause of the issue
Discuss strategies for combating negative thoughts, feelings and attitudes
Explore specific steps to help the suffer to feel connected
Monitor and support the patient in these efforts
Provide alternative approaches
Often times people seek individual therapy for other issues, and loneliness is only one of the issues being dealt with (depression is the typical companion). In any case, individual therapy for loneliness has a strong rate of success among patients willing to confront the issues and take action.
Group Therapy: With this approach fellow-suffers meet regularly to discuss feelings and coping strategies for the group's mutual benefit. Group therapy is often recommended by a therapist as a complement to individual sessions to speed recovery. It is also useful as an ongoing support mechanism even after the primary issues with loneliness have been dealt with.
Animal-assisted Therapy (AAT): In its most recent formalized approach, animal therapy (also known as pet therapy) is a fairly new field. However throughout all of recorded history, humans have long relied on the companionship of pets to keep loneliness at bay. In recent years, many clinical studies have proved the efficacy of pet therapy in many situations. Pets (dogs in particular) provide the unconditional love and support that many people facing loneliness need.
Psychology has recognized loneliness as a condition independent, although related to, depression. Many experts in psychology also recognize that loneliness can be a precursor to depression and recommend taking early steps to combat and overcome these negative feelings.
