While it’s important to have “me time” and build your own independence, it’s natural to feel alone sometimes. On the other hand, regularly experiencing feelings of loneliness can negatively affect your overall quality of life.
Being alone means physically being apart from other people. However, loneliness goes beyond not being physically close to someone, but mentally and emotionally as well. Feeling lonely involves feeling isolated or disconnected from others, even if people are close by.
When someone has a disability, they may already feel like other people can’t understand their challenges. In addition, they may also lack the physical capabilities to access social environments or be negatively stereotyped by others due to their disabilities. That’s why loneliness is much more likely to be experienced by people with a disability than those without one.
Read on to explore how loneliness can affect every facet of a person’s health, especially those who are living with a disability. We’ll also discuss how Ability KC can help through rehab counseling services as well as unique options, such as our gaming program.
How loneliness can impact the overall health of people with disabilities
There are many types of disabilities, and they are all likely to impact a person’s social, mental and physical health in some way. For example, a person who has a hearing impairment may have a difficult time engaging in conversation with others. A person with a traumatic brain injury may have personality changes that interfere with their mental health. Overall, a person with any type of disability can experience loneliness.
The mental impact of loneliness
Loneliness, in many cases, is an internal experience that can cause negative emotions and thoughts. It may lead to feelings of sadness, hopelessness and irritability. By feeling alone and disconnected from others, people with disabilities can experience mental distress. It can affect their ability to complete their everyday activities and feel hopeful for the future.
For people with disabilities, loneliness can impact their mental health due to:
- Reduced self-esteem from exclusion
- Difficulties establishing a strong sense of self due to social stigma
- Symptoms of anxiety or depression
The social impact of loneliness
Loneliness itself stems from the lack of connection to people, which is a social challenge. It can also have continuous effects on the social well-being of a person with a disability. If you experience chronic loneliness, it can be even more difficult to be social when the time arises due to fear of embarrassment or challenges with social cues.
Loneliness can affect the social health of people with disabilities in the following ways:
- Feeling shy or uncertain about what to say
- Distrusting new people because of previous negative attitudes from other people
- Finding it hard to find social opportunities due to accessibility barriers
The physical impact of loneliness
Because having a disability can affect both physical and mental health, a person who is living with a disability may already be experiencing physical challenges that impact their quality of life. However, loneliness can worsen many physical symptoms by causing:
- Pain as a stress response to loneliness
- Symptoms of anxiety and depression, including headaches and stomachaches
- Sleep pattern issues
Ability KC can help people with disabilities navigate and reduce feelings of loneliness
For people with disabilities, loneliness is often more than just a temporary feeling. It can become a regular state of mind that affects every aspect of their health. The good news is that the right treatments and services can help them alleviate those challenges and find the motivation to form meaningful connections with people.
At Ability KC, we can help address loneliness in a couple of ways. The first approach is often rehab counseling. By talking to a licensed therapist, a person can discuss the root causes of their loneliness and how their disabilities may be contributing to them. They can slowly adjust their mindset and practice strategies that can help combat their loneliness as a way to reduce its physical, mental and social impact.
Rehab counseling services can help people with disabilities through loneliness by:
- Providing an opportunity to feel less alone by opening up in a safe environment
- Improving communication skills
- Increasing their self-confidence to reach out to other people
Our rehab counseling services include support groups, which can help people with disabilities feel less alone in their experiences.
We also have a gaming program at Ability KC that can make a significant difference in helping people with disabilities connect with other people by participating in fun, cooperative activities.
Ability KC is a designated Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) with a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.