Living alone can be associated with independence and positive feelings, but a new study suggests that living without roommates could actually increase the risk for developing depression.
The study results showed that people who lived alone bought more antidepressants than people who lived with roommates.
“These data suggest that people living alone may be at increased risk of developing mental health problems,” according to the study conclusion. “The public health value is in recognizing that people who live alone are more likely to have material and psychosocial problems that may contribute to excess mental health problems in this population group.”
The data was taken from a health study in 2000, and from national prescription registers. There was data for 1,695 men and 1,776 women from Finland used in the study, with an average age of 44.6.
Experts have different insight into the use of the study, and what it means for people who live alone.
Ray Erickson, a clinical social worker, said he has worked for years with people who have depression and also suffered from depression when he lived alone.
“For people who are prone to depression, living alone can definitely be a contributing factor in developing depression,” Erickson said in an email. “The lack of social contact is a primary influence within the limbic system. Humans need human stimulation for a balanced life.”
Social interaction tends to be more limited for people who live alone, which can contribute to the likelihood of developing depression. To counteract this, Erickson suggests taking a class or going to the gym, as well as heading outside for a walk.
“Staying in contact with friends is very important, and if necessary the person with depression may need to ask their friends to call them and invite them to things, although while in the throes of depression I refused to answer these calls,” Erickson said.
Living alone doesn’t always lead to depression though, and there are various reasons for this.
“All of us have a different ‘resilience’ quotient, and some people are simply more resilient to depression than others,” Erickson said. “Some people see the idea of spending time alone as distressful while others revel in being on their own. The difference could lie in the degree that each person loves themself. The more self-love, the more happiness, and therefore the less depression is a factor in one's life.”
He said living alone is pretty common in the United States, although in the rest of the world people tend to live together. This could be contributing to rising rates of depression in the United States.
“When people are living alone, they spend a lot of time in their heads, and if their heads are filled up with negativity they are going to be inclined to be more depressed than a person who monitors their negative thoughts and chooses only those thoughts that induce a feeling of wellbeing,” Erickson said. “The quality of our thoughts [determines] the quality of our lives.”
Karol Ward, a licensed clinical social worker, said in an email living alone is not necessarily a major factor in developing depression, and many of her patients haven't suffered from depression even when they lived alone.
“What's important though is to distinguish living alone from isolating," Ward said. "People who isolate from the outside world most likely have symptoms of depression.”
Alone time can be beneficial to everyone, but there needs to be a healthy balance.
“Living alone can build a sense of resiliency and strengthen the relationship you have with yourself,” Ward said. “It provides you with the space and time to discover who you are. It also can provide people with an emotional hiding place and too much time alone creates a distorted perception of self and others. If you are the only one providing perspective, it's important to keep that perspective balanced by being engaged in the world you live in.”
Natasha Tracy, a depression blogger for her website Bipolar Burble at natashatracy.com, as well as for Healthyplace.com and Healthline.com, said in an email that the risk for developing depression depends on the reason for living alone.
“Many people live alone by choice and I don’t think these people are as vulnerable, but some people live alone because of a breakup or a death and these people are more likely to develop depression,” Tracy said.
It’s more important to make social plans when you live alone because there isn’t interaction with roommates to depend on. Also, having a pet could be beneficial for people who live alone, she said.
“Many people with mental illness or with previous mental illness live alone by choice because it actually staves off further depression,” Tracy said. “Some people find that controlling their environment and stress level allows them to decrease the chances of depression.”
However, other times people with a mental illness might have issues that go unnoticed if they don’t have someone living with them to help address these issues.
Doris Jeanette, a licensed psychologist and author of the audio tape, “Depression: How to Unlearn Your Unhealthy Conditioning and Break Free,” said in an email that people who are depressed may tend to live alone to begin with -- living alone itself doesn't cause depression necessarily.
“People who are depressed often end up alone because they are not happy and fun to be with,” Jeanette said. “Depressed people get rejected, divorced and people break up with them. This may not be good for the depressed person but it is good for the healthy person. A healthy person will not stay with a depressed person, they need to get away from depressing energy.”
Living alone can actually be considered an achievement for many.
“Many people who live alone love it and enjoy themselves. This is one of the qualities of a self-actualized person,” Jeanette said. “If you are happy being alone and you are happy being in a healthy relationship, you are self-actualized."
Sources:
Pulkki-Raback, Laura, et al. Living alone and antidepressant medication use: a prospective study in a working-age population. BMC Public Health. Web. PDF. March 27, 2012.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/236/abstract (PDF is available through link at bottom of page).
Erickson, Ray. Email interview. March 27, 2012.
Ward, Karol. Email interview. March 27, 2012.
Tracy, Natasha. Email interview. March 27, 2012.
Jeanette, Doris. Email interview. March 27, 2012.
Reviewed March 28, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith