What Happens To Your Brain Without Any Social Contact?

Humans are, by evolution, social creatures. As individuals we may have something of a spectrum from introvert to extrovert, but as a species, we thrive in community. And we suffer, when we don’t have that.

But how?

It depends on the reason

This video makes the important distinction of forced isolation vs chosen solitude, on the grounds that while voluntary solitude can relieve stress, involuntary isolation can cause severe and lasting psychological harm, for example:

• Involuntary isolation often leads to chronic stress, disrupted identity, impaired reasoning, and emotional instability, including depression, obsessions, suicidal thoughts, and hallucinations.
• On a neurological level, the limbic system becomes hyperactive (heightened fear and stress), while the prefrontal cortex shrinks, reducing focus, memory, and moral reasoning.
• On a beyond-the-brain but still physical level, it can cause insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, hypersensitivity, headaches, and stress-related weight loss.

Notably, the UN and many human rights groups view long-term solitary confinement (such as is commonly practised in prisons, and disproportionately so in the US) as a form of psychological torture.

Of course you, dear reader, are not in that position (or else you would not be reading this), but it does mean that if at any point you find you’re becoming increasingly isolated and not by choice, then it’s probably time to try to turn things around (see our link in the “Learn more” section for how).

Not discussed in the video: did you notice the difference in terms, “voluntary solitude” vs “involuntary isolation“? Interestingly, these two words that both have “-sol-” in them are etymologically unrelated:

• solitude comes from “solitudo” which ultimately comes from “solus” (alone) ← so this is simply about the state of being alone
• isolation comes from “isolato” which comes from “insulatus” which comes from “insula” (island) ← so this is specifically about being cut off from others

/bonus content from your writer who is a language nerd 😉

For more on all of this (except the last bit), enjoy:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Want to learn more?

You might also like:

How To Beat Loneliness & Isolation

Take care!