Loneliness And Mental Health: Expert Decodes The Paradox Behind It In This Hyper-Connected World
Expert Decodes The Paradox Behind It In This Hyper-Connected World : Life can be very unexpected. Who would have thought that from sending letters via birds, we would reach a time when it takes a mere second to deliver a message or connect with someone on the other side? The coming of the digitalization has completely changed the way we live and explore. It has massively changed the spectrum of communication worldwide. In addition, the advent of social media has completely overshadowed the concept of being alone because even while you are physically alone, you are hardly off the grid. Yet, despite this hyper-connected world, almost half the population lives in loneliness. Although it seems impossible to be lonely in a digital world, that’s far from the truth because even if one is connected to the whole world online, it does not mean that those connections are genuine and authentic and satiate the basic human need for companionship.
Paradoxes Of Loneliness In A Hyper-Connected World
Dr Chandni Tugnait an M.D. in Alternative Medicines, Psychotherapist, Life Coach and the Founder & Director – Gateway of Healing talks about the few paradoxes of loneliness in a hyper-connected world:
The Connectivity Illusion
The steady influx of messages and the idea of being perpetually “connected” in our hyper-connected environment can generate a deceptive sense of social involvement. Social media services, intended to bring people together over long distances, ironically contribute to a superficial type of contact. Individuals may have hundreds or even thousands of online friends, but the depth of these relationships is debatable. The paradox is seen in the striking disparity between the number of connections and the true quality of meaningful interactions.
The Comparison And The Loneliness Trap
Through the prevalent culture of comparison, social media inadvertently perpetuates the paradox of loneliness while promoting the sharing of life highlights. Endless browsing through well-selected images of other people’s lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and a general sensation of missing out. Individuals, purportedly surrounded by virtual relationships, succumb to a strong sense of loneliness exacerbated by the constant stream of others’ supposedly beautiful lives.
Superficial Vs. Genuine Connection
The complexity of human interactions frequently takes a back seat in the drive for perpetual connection. Conversations become hurried and externalized rather than being internalized. The paradox worsens when acquaintances surround people, yet they lack true, vulnerable interactions.
Fear Of Rejection
While being constantly online has its perks, one is often connected because they feel that if they are not, they may miss out, or if they are not present, they may be excluded from that particular circumstance. FOMO (Fear of missing out) and fear of rejection go hand in hand in this digital world, where people often feel compelled to do things that they usually won’t just to be included in a social group, even if that is social group is not of their choosing, but a figment of popularity. Hence, many individuals suffer self-imposed loneliness out of a fear of rejection.