Mental health conditions affect how we think, feel, and behave. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, and other conditions can have serious and life-altering impacts on our lives, including the sense of isolation that can come along with them.
When a person has mental health issues, it can be hard to be around other people. This feeling of isolation can make it difficult for them to get help. Here, we take a look at the cycle of isolation that people with mental health issues often experience, making it harder for them to ask for help and to find their way out of this difficult place.
The first step in the cycle is the feeling of loneliness and isolation. This often stems from a lack of understanding and empathy from friends and family who do not understand mental health issues. People can feel disconnected from society, struggling to see how others can be happy when they are struggling so much themselves. This feeling of isolation can lead to further depression, as the person feels disconnected from the world around them and fails to see that there is hope for recovery.
The second step in the cycle is to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. This can look like using alcohol or drugs to numb the pain, playing video games for hours on end, or avoiding talking to anyone about their mental health issues. These bad behaviors often provide short-term relief from the pain, but deep down they do not provide a long-term solution and can prevent people from getting the help they need.
The third step in the cycle is to withdraw even further. People can become so disconnected from the world that they no longer see the point in trying. They stop attempting to reach out for help, believing that no one will understand them or be able to help.
The fourth step in the cycle often involves shame and guilt. People feel embarrassed and ashamed of their mental health issues, believing that it reflects poorly on them and is something that they should be able to “fix” on their own. They feel guilty for being in this position in the first place and this furthers the feeling of isolation.
The final step in the cycle is to attempt to mask the pain. People try their best to put on a facade by pretending that everything is okay, but on the inside, their mental health problems are still there and they are running out of ways to cope.
The cycle of isolation can be difficult to break, but there are ways for people to reach out for help. Talking with a trained mental health professional can help individuals identify unhealthy coping mechanisms and set up pathways to recovery. Furthermore, understanding and support from family and friends are essential to helping someone break the cycle of isolation and rebuild relationships.
It can be difficult for people with mental health issues to feel connected to the world around them, but with the right help, they can start to feel like the connection they have been missing. Sometimes, it just takes the first step of reaching out for help to start the process of overcoming the cycle of isolation caused by mental health issues.