New research reveals a paradox: How the media portrays solitude\u2014though well-intentioned\u2014may exacerbate loneliness by negatively influencing people’s beliefs about being alone.<\/p>\n

In an era of hyperconnectivity, loneliness has been declared a global epidemic with significant consequences for mental and physical health. Public health campaigns and media discussions have long sought to combat this crisis\u2014but could they be making it worse?<\/p>\n

A deep dive into 144 news articles from leading US newspapers, published between 2020 and 2022, uncovered a striking trend: Solitude is overwhelmingly depicted as a negative, even dangerous state. These stories are 10 times more likely to describe being alone as more harmful than beneficial.<\/p>\n

“Widespread public discourse about the dangers of being alone may be doing more harm than good,” says lead author and University of Michigan social psychology graduate student Micaela Rodriguez.<\/p>\n

“This work highlights the need for media outlets and public health campaigns to clearly distinguish between being alone and feeling lonely<\/a>\u2014and to acknowledge that spending time alone, which is an inevitable part of daily life, can sometimes be beneficial.”<\/p>\n

Using rigorous longitudinal research methods, this Nature Communications<\/em><\/a> article\u2014the first known to critically analyze how American news media portrays being alone\u2014finds that people who believe being alone is harmful tend to feel lonelier after spending time alone in daily life. However, those with a more positive view of solitude don’t just feel less lonely in the same situations, they actually feel more positive.<\/p>\n

“Loneliness is not just about our relationships with other people\u2014it’s also about our relationship with our time alone,” says coauthor Ethan Kross, a professor of psychology.<\/p>\n

“Our research suggests that learning to view time alone as a positive experience does not only protect people against feeling lonely but also promotes healthy experiences of solitude that promote well-being.”<\/p>\n

The findings challenge the idea that solitude is inherently negative and suggest that societal messages warning about the dangers of being alone may actually be counterproductive, making individuals feel even worse in their solitude.<\/p>\n

“Our work opens up new opportunities to address the so-called ‘loneliness epidemic,’ says Kross, also a faculty associate at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research.<\/p>\n

“In addition to encouraging people to develop meaningful relationships, we should also help them cultivate a healthier, more positive relationship with solitude.”<\/p>\n

This effect isn’t confined to one culture. The research team collected data from nine countries across six continents, including Brazil, South Africa, the UK, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Australia, and Poland.<\/p>\n

The findings suggest that beliefs about solitude consistently shape how people experience loneliness worldwide, demonstrating that our mindset about solitude influences whether it feels isolating or restorative.<\/p>\n

“These findings hold up across diverse cultures\u2014from countries like Mexico and Brazil, where there is a heavy focus on community and family, to countries like Japan and the UK, where governments have appointed ‘loneliness ministers’ to help address loneliness and social isolation,” Rodriguez says.<\/p>\n

“It is also striking that\u2014across many nations around the world\u2014the benefits of holding positive beliefs about being alone are largest for people who spend the most time alone.”<\/p>\n

Public health leaders, including the World Health Organization and the previous US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, have warned of loneliness as a major health threat, linking it to depression, cardiovascular disease<\/a>, and even early mortality.<\/p>\n

However, this new research introduces a critical nuance\u2014being alone isn’t necessarily the problem. In fact, solitude can be a source of personal growth, creativity<\/a>, and emotional recharge when approached with the right mindset, the researchers say.<\/p>\n

“We were most surprised to find that people who view being alone as a positive experience don’t just tolerate being alone\u2014they actually feel more content after spending time alone in their daily lives,” Rodriguez says.<\/p>\n

“This goes against the common assumption that being alone inevitably leads to loneliness and other negative outcomes. Importantly, it suggests that solitude can be an asset \u2014if we view it as such.”<\/p>\n

Current public health messaging overwhelmingly promotes social interaction as the cure for loneliness. But this study suggests a complementary approach: rather than solely pushing for more social connections, we should also foster healthier beliefs about solitude.<\/p>\n

Shifting public discourse to recognize the potential benefits of being alone may empower individuals to experience solitude differently.<\/p>\n

“Most loneliness interventions focus on helping people interact with others and build social connections,” Rodriguez says.<\/p>\n

“This approach can be helpful, but it is not always effective in alleviating loneliness\u2014because being alone and feeling lonely are different things.<\/p>\n

“Our research reveals another potential path to reduce<\/a> loneliness: helping people develop a healthier, more positive relationship with their alone time. We’re currently testing an intervention designed to help lonely individuals reframe their beliefs about being alone to improve well-being and reduce loneliness.”<\/p>\n

Source: Fernanda Pires for University of Michigan<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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