Solitude and Personality Disorders

Meehan, Kevin B.; Levy, Kenneth N.; Temes, Christina M.; Detrixhe, Jonathan J.

doi:10.1002/9781118427378.ch24

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Difficulties with interpersonal relationships are frequently reported among people diagnosed with a “personality disorder” [ 25 – 27 ]. People with a diagnosis of “EUPD” have especially been investigated through social network analysis and psychological experimental studies, and are reported to have poorer social support, less social integration, greater dissatisfaction and fear during interpersonal interaction, and higher levels of loneliness compared to people without a “personality disorder” or people with few “EUPD” traits [ 28 – 31 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of loneliness among people with a “personality disorder” diagnosis or traits: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Ikhtabi¹,

Pitman

Toh³

et al. 2022

BMC Psychiatry

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Background Loneliness is prevalent among people with a “personality disorder” diagnosis or who have related personality traits, but the experience of loneliness among people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits has not been well described. A qualitative approach has potential to help understand the experience of loneliness among people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits, and to develop interventions that promote recovery. We therefore aimed to synthesise the qualitative literature relevant to this topic. Method We conducted a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies exploring the subjective experience of loneliness as reported by people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits. We searched four databases using pre-formulated search terms, selected eligible articles, appraised the quality of each, and analyzed data from eligible studies using thematic synthesis. Result We identified 39 articles that described the experience of loneliness in people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits. From extracted data, we identified seven themes: (1) disconnection and emptiness: a “haunting alienation”, (2) alienation arising from childhood experiences, (3) thwarted desire for closeness and connection, (4) paradox: for both closeness and distance, (5) experiences of existential loneliness, (6) recovery, embedded in a social world, and (7) group therapy: a setback. Our results suggest that for our sample early alienating and traumatic experiences may pave the way for experiences of loneliness, which further exacerbate “personality disorder” symptoms and distress. Conclusion Despite describing a need to belong and efforts to cope with unmet social needs, people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits (particularly “emotionally unstable personality disorder”) report experiencing an intense disconnection from other people. This seems rooted in early adversities, reinforced by later traumatic experiences. Given the apparent salience of loneliness to people with “personality disorder” diagnoses/traits, interventions focused on helping people connect with others, which may include both psychological and social components, have potential to be beneficial in reducing loneliness and promoting recovery.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of loneliness among people with a “personality disorder” diagnosis or traits: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Ikhtabi¹,

Pitman

Toh³

et al. 2022

BMC Psychiatry

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“…This study explored young adults’ relationships to contemporary technology (i.e., smartphones) through the lens of longstanding psychoanalytic concepts of personality (i.e., the capacity for solitude and attachment anxiety). The capacity to be alone and its representational underpinnings have been implicated in diagnoses as diverse as borderline personality disorder, dependent personality disorder, and anaclitic depression (Meehan et al, 2014). This study aimed to extend that literature to a general population of young adults, specifically by exploring how variations in attachment anxiety and experiences of solitude may relate to dependency on smartphones, an object of near-universal importance to young adults.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To be alone may therefore invite intense anxiety. Low tolerance for solitude has been theoretically implicated in several common mental disorders, including anaclitic depression, dependent personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder (Meehan et al, 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Attachment anxiety and solitude in the age of smartphones.

Bermingham¹,

Meehan²,

Wong³

et al. 2021

Psychoanalytic Psychology

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The incapacity to tolerate and benefit from solitude is theorized to originate in deficits in the early caregiving environment and has been implicated in adult psychopathology. Attachment anxiety, theoretically linked to an incapacity to be alone, has been shown to positively predict smartphone dependency among young adults. The present study examined the relationships between attachment anxiety, the capacity to be alone, and smartphone dependency among young adults. It was hypothesized that the association between attachment anxiety and smartphone dependency would be mediated by the capacity to be alone. Participants were 181 ethnically diverse young adults. Personality variables and smartphone dependency were assessed via self-report. Smartphone use was measured behaviorally through Apple's Screen Time smartphone application. Greater attachment anxiety was associated with greater smartphone dependency; this relationship was mediated by the capacity to be alone. By contrast, neither attachment anxiety nor the capacity to be alone was predictive of actual smartphone use. These results inform our understanding of smartphone dependency and underscore the importance of the capacity to be alone for psychological well-being.

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“…People with ‘personality disorder’ diagnoses/traits are particularly vulnerable to difficulties with forming and maintaining satisfying social connections, as they report interpersonal problems and difficulties managing social relationships [ 16 – 19 ]. A quantitative cross-sectional study describing the intensity of loneliness in the lives of people with a diagnosis of ‘emotionally unstable personality disorder’ (‘EUPD’) found that low social functioning and objective social isolation did not account for the severity of loneliness experienced by people with ‘EUPD’ [ 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The prevalence and severity of loneliness and deficits in perceived social support among who have received a ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis or have relevant traits: a systematic review

Ikhtabi,

Pitman,

Maconick

et al. 2024

BMC Psychiatry

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Background Loneliness and struggles with unmet social needs are a common experience among people with ‘personality disorder’ diagnoses/traits. Given the impact of loneliness and poor perceived social support on mental health, and the importance of a sense of belonging for recovery, a systematic review examining the prevalence/severity of loneliness and deficits in perceived social support among people with ‘personality disorder’ diagnoses/traits is an essential step towards developing an intervention targeting the social needs of people with diagnoses/traits ‘personality disorder’. Despite an extensive literature on loneliness and deficits of perceived social support among people with ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis/traits, to date there has been no systematic review of this evidence. Method We conducted a systematic review synthesising quantitative data on the prevalence/severity of loneliness and deficits of perceived social support among people with diagnoses/traits of ‘personality disorder’ in comparison with other clinical groups and the general population. We searched Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Social Science, Google scholar and Ethos British Library from inception to December 2021. We conducted quality appraisals using the Joanna Briggs Critical appraisal tools and rated the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. A narrative synthesis was used describing the direction and strength of associations prioritising high quality studies. Findings A final set of 70 studies are included in this review, most of which are cross-sectional studies (n = 55), based in the United States (51%) and focused on community samples. Our synthesis of evidence found that, across all types of ‘personality disorders’ (except ‘narcissistic personality’ traits), people with traits associated with ‘personality disorder’ or meeting criteria for a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’, have higher levels of loneliness, lower perceived relationship satisfaction, and poorer social support than the general population or other clinical samples. Conclusion The quality of evidence is judged as low quality. However, given the distressing nature of loneliness and the known negative effects of loneliness on mental health and recovery, it is important for future research to explore mechanisms by which loneliness may exacerbate ‘personality disorder’ symptoms and the impact this has on recovery.

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Solitude and Personality Disorders

Cited by 6 publications

References 50 publications

The experience of loneliness among people with a “personality disorder” diagnosis or traits: a qualitative meta-synthesis

The experience of loneliness among people with a “personality disorder” diagnosis or traits: a qualitative meta-synthesis

Attachment anxiety and solitude in the age of smartphones.

The prevalence and severity of loneliness and deficits in perceived social support among who have received a ‘personality disorder’ diagnosis or have relevant traits: a systematic review

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