Imposed loneliness in old age: 7 possible psychological causes

Psychological factors driving the feeling of unwanted loneliness in the elderly.

Imposed loneliness is an increasingly common phenomenon in the Western world, the causes of which are very diverse.

Old age is a period of rest and happiness for many people, when, after several decades of hard work, we are allowed to retire from the working world to live the rest of our lives to the fullest.

However, for many people this stage of life is the beginning of a period of imposed loneliness, a phenomenon increasingly common in societies around the world, which can be treated by professionals.

Imposed loneliness is a type of involuntary loneliness experienced by many elderly people and is characterized by a feeling of social isolation as well as a loss in day-to-day social relationships.

What psychological phenomena are involved in imposed loneliness in the elderly?

There are many phenomena that intervene in the imposed loneliness that some elderly people experience and that have a decisive influence on an emotional and psychological level. Here is a list of the most important ones.

1. Nostalgia for the past

Nostalgia is one of the most common feelings in people during the process of old age and, in the long term, it usually becomes one of the main factors of loneliness in the individual.

Memories of a better past, real or idealized, tend to constantly flood the thoughts of older people and usually have a negative influence on various personality markers, including self-esteem, extroversion, sociability and a positive outlook on life in general.

Although this is not always the case, many older people enter into a state of real or perceived loneliness based on recurrent longing for a past of happiness and fulfillment that no longer exists and will never return.

2. Loss of affective social bonds

The loss of a partner, as well as of family and friends during the period of old age is one of the main causes that increase the risk of real or perceived loneliness in the elderly.

Perceived loneliness is often independent of the number of social contacts that can still be maintained at the present time, as well as the number of people with whom one interacts in daily life.

That is, an elderly person who is in a nursing home with all kinds of care and specialized health professionals, as well as other residents, may continue to feel lonely or socially isolated.

3. Grieving processes that have not been overcome

Similarly, the grieving processes for the death of their loved ones, which have not yet been overcome, also contribute to the elderly person feeling lonely and isolated from society.

The loss of a loved one is a very painful process that can be faced in different ways depending on the person. If all phases of grief are not dealt with satisfactorily, the affected person may go through a series of emotional and psychological disorders.

Older people usually go through several grief processes in a short period of time, and in their case, these affectations or alterations can range from grief and exacerbated pain, to dazedness, anger or other consequences that directly influence the emotional and physical health of the person.

4. Difficulties in meeting friends from youth and adulthood.

It is evident that the third age is a stage where friendships and very important relatives are lost for the life of the person and, as it has been indicated, these recurrent deaths affect emotionally and can increase the feeling of loneliness.

For those friendships that are still alive, it is often difficult to continue communicating due to the advanced stages of age of both parties, and even more difficult to meet in person to chat or catch up.

5. Problems understanding new technologies

Many older people experience the daily challenge of using new technologies to communicate with their loved ones or perform basic household tasks on a daily basis.

The recurrent failure to use new technologies, as well as the difficulty in understanding how they work and their uses, increases the feeling of loneliness in the person, which has a negative influence on their emotional health.

6. Disconnection with the dominant generation

Another phenomenon that increases loneliness in older people is the disconnection they feel with the modern world and the gulf at all levels between their generation and the generations born in later decades.

The new society is very different from the one they knew and often its cultural and social changes generate feelings of incomprehension, disorientation, helplessness and loneliness.

7. Change of habits in retirement

The life of retired or pensioned people usually changes radically overnight and the change of habits in the new period usually also has a negative impact on the person.

The lack of work schedules and daily responsibilities often cause emotional and psychological alterations in the elderly, a fact that also contributes to increase their loneliness on a daily basis.

This phenomenon can be reversed by recovering a regimen of activities and occupations throughout the week, with which the person feels useful again and continues to maintain a daily routine.

Are you looking for professional psychological support?

In Adhara Psychology we offer psychotherapy services for people of all ages, based on the experience provided by more than a decade of professional career