Loneliness and mood disorders: consequence, cause and/or unholy alliance?

Abstract

Purpose of reviewPeople with persistent depressive disorders and with bipolar disorder are more likely to feel lonely than people in the general population. This evidence update focused on studies in the last 2 years, characterized by the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent social distancing directives. Recent findingsLongitudinal studies identified that people who feel lonely are more likely to become depressed or to experience relapse of mood disorders. There is emerging evidence that feelings of loneliness or mandatory social isolation can precede manic episodes. Hence the relationship between loneliness and mood disorders is complex and bidirectional. Interventions were developed to reduce loneliness in people with mental health problems, including depressive disorders, through cognitive modification and/or supported socialisation. No loneliness-focused interventions have been specifically tailored to people with bipolar disorder. SummaryStudies carried out before and during the COVID-19 pandemic found that feelings of loneliness can be both consequences and precursors of persistent depression and bipolar disorder. Mood symptoms and loneliness have a cumulative negative effect on physical and mental health outcomes. Conceptual overlaps and relations between loneliness and mood symptoms should be clarified in qualitative studies. Theorydriven intervention models should be developed and tested in methodologically robust studies.

Social cognition and social motivation in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: are impairments linked to the disorder or to being socially isolated?

“…This group may be more aware of prior experiences with social isolation and the associated emotional statessuch as lonelinessthan patients with schizophrenia. Our results are consistent with findings that people with bipolar disorder report feeling more lonely than the general population, and loneliness was both a precursor and potentially a risk factor for recurrences of mood episodes, suicidal behavior, low self-rated health and poorer quality of life in mood disorders (Giacco, 2023).…”

Risk Factors for a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…However, the occurrence rate for loneliness in our sample is higher than the 28% reported in a review of studies of older adults during the pandemic (Su et al, 2022). While most of the research on the impact of loneliness on symptom burden during the pandemic focused on mental health problems (Aknin et al, 2022;Giacco, 2023;Jamil et al, 2023), our findings suggest that these added types of stress were associated with clinically meaningful levels of both physical AND psychological symptoms in over a third of the patient in the current sample.…”

Loneliness, belonging and psychosomatic complaints across late adolescence and young adulthood: a Swedish cohort study

“…Hence, loneliness and belonging operate through various mechanisms, some of which may overlap, while others remain unique to each respective construct. It is crucial to note that loneliness can act as both a cause and a consequence of mental health issues, contributing to a self-reinforcing cycle [ 56 ]. However, some findings indicate that the effects of loneliness on health tend to manifest earlier, whereas the influence of health on loneliness becomes more prominent later in life [ 57 ].…”