The Negative Effects Of Too Much Alone Time

Part of our DNA makes us social beings. Humans need others to survive both physically and mentally. This does not mean that we accept every company we can get, but it does mean that people are important to us. Research has even shown that too much alone time can have negative effects.

Many studies have concluded that spending a lot of time alone can have real effects on our brain. We are naturally inclined to be around other people and spend time with others. But we live in a time where it is not always easy. In fact, large crowds are one of the things that can make many people want to live alone.

Loneliness is a growing world epidemic. Many people decide to live alone today. Neighborhoods in big cities have become tense and exclusive. Companies sell human interactions. Deep down, we all know that it’s not good to be alone. But we do not always know how to break the bubble.

An interesting experiment

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) conducted a study published in Cell. It showed that too much alone time has significant effects on our behavior. They experimented on rats and showed that loneliness actually leads to a chemical buildup in the brain. This gradually made the rats more scared and aggressive.

The researchers isolated a group of rats for several weeks. After a while, they became irritable. They also seemed to be more afraid of other rats and were hypersensitive to any kind of threat.

When something felt threatening, the isolated rats froze to ice. They stayed that way long after the threat had disappeared. The rats that were not isolated overcame the stress of a threat much faster.

From now on, researchers believe that this also applies to humans.

Tachykinin and the effects of too much alone time

An earlier study showed that fruit flies were also more aggressive after long periods of isolation. In this study , the researchers were able to link a specific chemical to the change: tachykinin. The longer they were alone, the higher their tachykinin levels.

The Caltech researchers wanted to see if the rats in the study also showed a build-up of this substance. They concluded that they did. However, tachykinin in rats leads to the production of a peptide called neurokinin A. Our brain produces this chemical in the hypothalamus and amygdala.

Thus, prolonged isolation led to increased production of neurokinin A in the rats. This is the drug that made them more aggressive and scared. The researchers also discovered that giving them medication could help reduce these symptoms, but not in a stable way.

We should not spend too much time alone

Spending too much time alone is not good for you. It does not make you freer or more independent. For the most part, it has the opposite effect: you just become more vulnerable. You get caught up in a cycle where you end up isolating yourself more and more. Insulation can even make you sick.

You can always open up to other people. It’s not easy to leave the bubble, but it’s always worth a try. Doing so will help you take a step towards better mental health. Building bridges with other people is invaluable, and it is something we all need to do. It’s one of the best ways to grow as a human being.