Existential isolation

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Existential isolation is the subjective feeling that every human life experience is essentially unique and can be understood only by themselves, creating a gap between a person and other individuals, as well as the rest of the world. [1] Existential isolation falls under existentialism. It was addressed by Martin Heidegger in his book Being and Time (1927) and further explored by Irvin Yalom in his book Existential Psychotherapy (1980). Yalom defined existential isolation as one of three forms of isolation, the other two being intra- and interpersonal isolation. Unlike the other forms, one cannot overcome existential isolation as the gap that separates individuals existentially can never be closed. [1] While every person can experience existential isolation, not everyone might actually feel existentially isolated. Those who do may feel a weaker connection to other individuals and question their beliefs and understanding of the world as they lack social validation. [2] [3]

Contents

Much work in psychology has focused on feelings of social isolation and/or loneliness. [4] Only recently have psychologists begun to explore the concept of existential isolation. [2] Existential isolation is the subjective sense that persons are alone in their experience and that others are unable to understand their perspective. Existential isolation thus occurs when people feel that they have a unique worldview unshared by others. Measured as either a state or trait, empirical studies have shown Existential isolation undermines life meaning and decreases well-being; people scoring high on Existential Isolation report lower levels of need satisfaction, purpose in life, and meaningfulness and increased death-related concerns. [5] [6] There is a positive correlation between EI and anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and belief in conspiracy theories. [4] [7]

Clinical perspective

People experiencing existential isolation feel disconnected from others around them, including therapists and friends. They tend to perceive lower levels of social support and are less likely to seek and take treatment. [8] Individuals with existential isolation may have poorer therapy outcomes, are less satisfied with the mental health treatment they receive, and have worse beliefs about the therapist’s expertise. [9]

People who experience existential isolation are more likely to partake in suicide ideation, and have greater depression, anxiety, distress, and/or worse experience from therapy. [10] [9] A combination of loneliness and existential isolation results in the greatest risk of depression. [4]

Professionals can bypass existential isolation-related issues by ensuring authenticity in the counselling relationship, engaging in I-sharing, and encouraging active participation in behavioral healthcare. [8]

Measurement

Due to the high subjectivity of existential isolation, [5] it has been a key point for psychological researchers to develop measurements that might indicate individual differences regarding feelings of existential isolation.

Existential Isolation Scale (EIS)

One method of measurement, the Existential Isolation Scale (EIS), was developed by Helm et al., and Pinel et al., which requires respondents to indicate (on a scale from 1 -10 e.g. 1 = Strongly disagree, 10 = Strongly agree) to which extent they agree or disagree to a set of six survey questions. [6] A participant that scores low on the survey is inclined to feel more existentially isolated while high scores on the survey indicate existential connection. The items on the survey are: [5] [6]

  1. I usually feel like people share my outlook on life.
  2. I often have the same reactions to things that other people around me do.
  3. People around me tend to react to things in our environment the same way I do.
  4. People do not often share my perspective. (Reverse scored)
  5. Other people usually do not understand my experiences. (Reverse scored)
  6. People often have the same “take” or perspective on things that I do.

The survey assesses how much individuals do or do not feel a sense of existential isolation or connection. Scores on this scale predict different psychological and interpersonal outcomes such as causing uncertainty about one's perception of reality or impairing one’s sense of belonging. Feelings of existential isolation predict heightened depression, anxiety , and stress. [5] [6]

State-Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)

A different kind of method, developed by Helm et al., proposes that feelings of existential isolation can be differentiated into being either situational (state existential isolation) or dispositional (trait existential isolation), both thought to be caused by acute and chronic influences. [11]

According to his model, different circumstances, that can be both acute and chronic, can elicit either state existential isolation or trait existential isolation. [11]

State existential isolation can be elicited by acute experiences such as specific events or individual comparisons to other reference groups. Individuals who encounter such situations or events and feel existentially isolated through them, are inclined to reduce such feelings. This can lead to feelings of loneliness or a lower identity with any group associated with said experiences. If the individual is unsuccessful in reducing state existential isolation, or those acute experiences seem to happen regularly, state existential isolation can turn into trait existential isolation. [11] [12]

Trait existential isolation can be elicited by chronic causes such as sociocultural factors or aspects of the socialisation process. It is characterised by an experience, in which individuals feel alone in their experience, as though other do not, or cannot relate to or understand their subjective experience. It can lead to social withdrawal, feelings of hopelessness and resulting chronically depleted needs, lower global in-group identity, and increase of an individual’s vulnerability to depression. [11] [12]

Intra and interpersonal isolation

In comparison to intra- and interpersonal isolation, existential isolation is a phenomenon that everyone is affected by, because we all are uniquely alone in our sensory experiences. It doesn’t matter how much people try to bond with others, and share thoughts or feelings, their experiences are always unique to them. [13] Intra- and interpersonal isolation are forms of isolation which an individual is able to overcome but individuals who experiences existential isolation are unable to overcome it. [1]

Intrapersonal isolation refers to a phenomenon where persons feel disconnected from themselves concerning one’s own psyche. Types of intrapersonal isolation are for example repression or dissociative disorders. [8] Patients suffering from intrapersonal isolation often disconnect their emotions from cognition to avoid despair and distress. [13]

Interpersonal isolation refers to a phenomenon where persons feel disconnected from others and experience a shortage of social contact. This can incorporate absence of meaningful connection with others, such as long-lasting relationships, or complete separations, such as staying alone in a room for several days. [8]

Contributing factors

Cultural differences

Cultural differences play a role in how individuals experience and cope with existential isolation. One cultural factor that impacts existential isolation is the individualistic versus collectivistic orientation of a society. While collectivist cultures have shown to be less likely to experience existential isolation due to their strong sense of community and social support networks, they are also prone to experience feelings of guilt or shame if they perceive themselves as letting down the group or failing to live up to cultural norms. Individuals from individualistic cultures may be more likely to experience existential isolation due to the lack of social support networks and a focus on individualism. [2]

Gender differences

A distinction between gender can account for different levels of existential isolation. Men are reported to consistently score higher in existential isolation compared to women. This difference may be mediated by the importance of community values. [14] Women tend to place more importance on communal values than men, which are group-oriented and lead to a feeling of interconnection and interdependence. Men may endorse more in agentic values, which are associated with self-reliance. [14]

Cultural differences can be taken into account. Smaller gender differences were found in collectivistic cultures that place more importance on interdependence overall. The gap was greater for individualistic cultures that emphasise independence. [2]

Gender roles and stereotypes may contribute to gender disparity in Existential Isolation. [6] Whereas women are thought to be nurturing and emotionally sensitive, men often take on the role of the provider and are seen as independent and emotionally distant. The lack of emotional expression may lead to a greater feeling of isolation and sense that their feelings and experiences cannot be understood by others. [6]

Attachment style

The link between existential isolation and attachment is barely explored.  In a meta-study, three studies are compared which present a tendency towards a positive correlation between existential isolation and insecure attachment. [15] [16] [17]

The generally accepted theory to describe attachment is attachment theory, which describes attachment in two dimensions, avoidant and anxious. If both of these variables are low, the attachment style is categorised as secure. If the anxious variable is high, the attachment is categorised as anxiously attached. Attachment described by a high score on the avoidant dimension is, as the name proposes, avoidant attachment. [12]

Together anxious and avoidant attachment are broadly called insecure attachment. [12]

While a positive correlation between existential isolation and insecure attachment was found, there is a stronger correlation between existential isolation and avoidant attachment, whereas anxious attachment is closer related to loneliness. [15] [16] The correlation between existential isolation and insecure attachment does not imply a causation from one side or another. [12]

Causality between attachment style and existential isolation is unclear, because attachment is formed in early childhood and therefore not influenced by existential isolation. [12]

Stigmatisation

Individuals who feel that they do not belong to a social group or community may also experience a greater sense of existential isolation. [18] This includes the population of justice-involved people. Justice involved people are experiencing stigma because they have a history of crime. This has been found to be connected to diminished physical well-being and reduced responsiveness to treatment services concerning improvement of psychosocial functioning. [19]

People who belong to underrepresented communities report higher levels of existential isolation than those people belonging to majority groups. [11]

There is relationship between non normative group memberships, which included race, ethnicity, sexuality, and the experiences of existential isolation. Participants with a non normative group membership, such as lesbians or latinas/latinos reported higher levels of existential isolation. [18]

Related Research Articles

Deception is the act of convincing one or many recipients of untrue information. The person creating the deception knows it to be false while the receiver of the message has a tendency to believe it. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight of hand as well as distraction, camouflage or concealment. There is also self-deception. It can also be called, with varying subjective implications, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, ruse, or subterfuge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schizoid personality disorder</span> Medical condition

Schizoid personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, detachment, and apathy. Affected individuals may be unable to form intimate attachments to others and simultaneously possess a rich and elaborate but exclusively internal fantasy world. Other associated features include stilted speech, a lack of deriving enjoyment from most activities, feeling as though one is an "observer" rather than a participant in life, an inability to tolerate emotional expectations of others, apparent indifference when praised or criticized, a degree of asexuality, and idiosyncratic moral or political beliefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dependent personality disorder</span> Personality disorder

Dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive psychological dependence on other people. This personality disorder is a long-term condition in which people depend on others to meet their emotional and physical needs. Dependent personality disorder is a cluster C personality disorder, which is characterized by excessive fear and anxiety. It begins prior to early adulthood, and it is present in a variety of contexts and is associated with inadequate functioning. Symptoms can include anything from extreme passivity, devastation or helplessness when relationships end, avoidance of responsibilities, and severe submission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avoidant personality disorder</span> Personality disorder

Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD) or anxious personality disorder is a Cluster C personality disorder characterized by excessive social anxiety and inhibition, fear of intimacy, severe feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, and an overreliance on avoidance of feared stimuli as a maladaptive coping method. Those affected typically display a pattern of extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation and rejection, a belief that one is socially inept or personally unappealing to others, and avoidance of social interaction despite a strong desire for it. It appears to affect an approximately equal number of men and women.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intimate relationship</span> Physical or emotional intimacy

An intimate relationship is an interpersonal relationship that involves emotional or physical closeness between people and may include sexual intimacy and feelings of romance or love. Intimate relationships are interdependent, and the members of the relationship mutually influence each other. The quality and nature of the relationship depends on the interactions between individuals, and is derived from the unique context and history that builds between people over time. Social and legal institutions such as marriage acknowledge and uphold intimate relationships between people. However, intimate relationships are not necessarily monogamous or sexual, and there is wide social and cultural variability in the norms and practices of intimacy between people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loneliness</span> Unpleasant emotional response to social or physical isolation

Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. Loneliness is also described as social pain – a psychological mechanism which motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perceived lack of connection and intimacy. Loneliness overlaps and yet is distinct from solitude. Solitude is simply the state of being apart from others; not everyone who experiences solitude feels lonely. As a subjective emotion, loneliness can be felt even when a person is surrounded by other people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social rejection</span> Deliberate exclusion of an individual from social relationship or social interaction

Social rejection occurs when an individual is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or social interaction. The topic includes interpersonal rejection, romantic rejection, and familial estrangement. A person can be rejected or shunned by individuals or an entire group of people. Furthermore, rejection can be either active by bullying, teasing, or ridiculing, or passive by ignoring a person, or giving the "silent treatment". The experience of being rejected is subjective for the recipient, and it can be perceived when it is not actually present. The word "ostracism" is also commonly used to denote a process of social exclusion.

Personality development encompasses the dynamic construction and deconstruction of integrative characteristics that distinguish an individual in terms of interpersonal behavioral traits. Personality development is ever-changing and subject to contextual factors and life-altering experiences. Personality development is also dimensional in description and subjective in nature. That is, personality development can be seen as a continuum varying in degrees of intensity and change. It is subjective in nature because its conceptualization is rooted in social norms of expected behavior, self-expression, and personal growth. The dominant viewpoint in personality psychology indicates that personality emerges early and continues to develop across one's lifespan. Adult personality traits are believed to have a basis in infant temperament, meaning that individual differences in disposition and behavior appear early in life, potentially before language of conscious self-representation develop. The Five Factor Model of personality maps onto the dimensions of childhood temperament. This suggests that individual differences in levels of the corresponding personality traits are present from young ages.

In psychology, the theory of attachment can be applied to adult relationships including friendships, emotional affairs, adult romantic and carnal relationships and, in some cases, relationships with inanimate objects. Attachment theory, initially studied in the 1960s and 1970s primarily in the context of children and parents, was extended to adult relationships in the late 1980s. The working models of children found in Bowlby's attachment theory form a pattern of interaction that is likely to continue influencing adult relationships.

Fear of intimacy is generally a social phobia and anxiety disorder resulting in difficulty forming close relationships with another person. The term can also refer to a scale on a psychometric test, or a type of adult in attachment theory psychology.

Social connection is the experience of feeling close and connected to others. It involves feeling loved, cared for, and valued, and forms the basis of interpersonal relationships.

"Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship." —Brené Brown, Professor of social work at the University of Houston

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belongingness</span> Human emotional need

Belongingness is the human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group. Whether it is family, friends, co-workers, a religion, or something else, some people tend to have an 'inherent' desire to belong and be an important part of something greater than themselves. This implies a relationship that is greater than simple acquaintance or familiarity.

A loner is a person described as not seeking out, actively avoiding, or failing to maintain interpersonal relationships.

Asociality refers to the lack of motivation to engage in social interaction, or a preference for solitary activities. Asociality may be associated with avolition, but it can, moreover, be a manifestation of limited opportunities for social relationships. Developmental psychologists use the synonyms nonsocial, unsocial, and social uninterest. Asociality is distinct from, but not mutually exclusive to, anti-social behavior. A degree of asociality is routinely observed in introverts, while extreme asociality is observed in people with a variety of clinical conditions.

Theories of love can refer to several psychological and sociological theories:

Interpersonal emotion regulation is the process of changing the emotional experience of one's self or another person through social interaction. It encompasses both intrinsic emotion regulation, in which one attempts to alter their own feelings by recruiting social resources, as well as extrinsic emotion regulation, in which one deliberately attempts to alter the trajectory of other people's feelings.

Emotional abandonment is a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded. People experiencing emotional abandonment may feel at a loss. They may feel like they have been cut off from a crucial source of sustenance or feel withdrawn, either suddenly or through a process of erosion. Emotional abandonment can manifest through loss or separation from a loved one.

Aversion to happiness, also called fear of happiness, is an attitude towards happiness in which individuals may deliberately avoid experiences that invoke positive emotions or happiness. Aversion to happiness is not a recognized mental health disorder on its own, but it can contribute to and/or exacerbate existing mental health issues.

Attachment and health is a psychological model which considers how the attachment theory pertains to people's preferences and expectations for the proximity of others when faced with stress, threat, danger or pain. In 1982, American psychiatrist Lawrence Kolb noticed that patients with chronic pain displayed behaviours with their healthcare providers akin to what children might display with an attachment figure, thus marking one of the first applications of the attachment theory to physical health. Development of the adult attachment theory and adult attachment measures in the 1990s provided researchers with the means to apply the attachment theory to health in a more systematic way. Since that time, it has been used to understand variations in stress response, health outcomes and health behaviour. Ultimately, the application of the attachment theory to health care may enable health care practitioners to provide more personalized medicine by creating a deeper understanding of patient distress and allowing clinicians to better meet their needs and expectations.

Breadcrumbing, also called Hansel and Grettelling, is the practice of sporadically feigning interest in another person in order to keep them interested, despite a true lack of investment in the relationship. It is regarded as a type of manipulation and can be either deliberate or unintentional. Breadcrumbing can occur in familial relationships, friendships, and the workplace, but it is more prevalent in romantic contexts, particularly with the surge of online dating.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Yalom, Irvin D. (2020-03-17). Existential Psychotherapy. Basic Books. ISBN   978-1-5416-4744-2.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Park, Y., & Pinel, E. C. (2020b). Existential isolation and cultural orientation. Personality and Individual Differences, 159, 109891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109891
  3. ↑ "APA PsycNet". psycnet.apa.org. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  4. 1 2 3 Helm, Peter J.; Medrano, Michael R.; Allen, John J. B.; Greenberg, Jeff (October 2020). "Existential Isolation, Loneliness, Depression, and Suicide Ideation in Young Adults". Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 39 (8): 641–674. doi:10.1521/jscp.2020.39.8.641. ISSN   0736-7236. S2CID   229514837.
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  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pinel, Elizabeth C.; Long, Anson E.; Murdoch, Erin Q.; Helm, Peter (2017-01-15). "A prisoner of one's own mind: Identifying and understanding existential isolation". Personality and Individual Differences. 105: 54–63. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.09.024 . ISSN   0191-8869. S2CID   89611802.
  7. ↑ Dolan, Eric W. (2024-05-08). "Two distinct forms of isolation predict belief in conspiracy theories". PsyPost - Psychology News. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Sease, Thomas B.; Cox, Cathy R.; Knight, Kevin (2022). "Existential isolation and well-being in justice-involved populations". Frontiers in Psychology. 13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1092313 . ISSN   1664-1078. PMC   9795838 . PMID   36591099.
  9. 1 2 Constantino, Michael J.; Sommer, Robert K.; Goodwin, Brien J.; Coyne, Alice E.; Pinel, Elizabeth C. (December 2019). "Existential isolation as a correlate of clinical distress, beliefs about psychotherapy, and experiences with mental health treatment". Journal of Psychotherapy Integration. 29 (4): 389–399. doi:10.1037/int0000172. ISSN   1573-3696. S2CID   164435305.
  10. ↑ Constantino, Michael J.; Gaines, Averi N.; Coyne, Alice E.; Boswell, James F.; Kraus, David R. (February 2023). "Existential Isolation as a Correlate of Mental Health Problems, Predictor of Treatment Outcome, and Moderator of a Patient-Therapist Match Effect". Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 42 (1): 1–28. doi:10.1521/jscp.2023.42.1.1. ISSN   0736-7236. S2CID   256791191.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Helm, Peter J.; Greenberg, Jeff; Park, Young Chin; Pinel, Elizabeth C. (July 2019). "Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)". Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology. 3 (3): 146–157. doi:10.1002/jts5.41. hdl: 10150/641493 . S2CID   149894847.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helm, Peter J.; Jimenez, Tyler; Bultmann, Michael; Lifshin, Uri; Greenberg, Jeff; Arndt, Jamie (2020-06-01). "Existential isolation, loneliness, and attachment in young adults". Personality and Individual Differences. 159: 109890. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.109890. ISSN   0191-8869. S2CID   214298220.
  13. 1 2 Brown, Vanessa; Morgan, Tezonia; Fralick, Andrew (2021-05-01). "Isolation and mental health: thinking outside the box". General Psychiatry. 34 (3): e100461. doi:10.1136/gpsych-2020-100461. ISSN   2517-729X. PMC   8149428 . PMID   34131627.
  14. 1 2 Helm, Peter J.; Rothschild, Lyla G.; Greenberg, Jeff; Croft, Alyssa (2018-11-01). "Explaining sex differences in existential isolation research". Personality and Individual Differences. 134: 283–288. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2018.06.032. ISSN   0191-8869. S2CID   150292664.
  15. 1 2 "APA PsycNet". psycnet.apa.org. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
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  17. ↑ Goossens, Luc; Marcoen, Alfons; van Hees, Sofie; van de Woestijne, Odile (December 1998). "Attachment style and loneliness in adolescence". European Journal of Psychology of Education. 13 (4): 529–542. doi:10.1007/bf03173103. ISSN   0256-2928. S2CID   144987281.
  18. 1 2 Pinel, Elizabeth C.; Helm, Peter J.; Yawger, Geneva C.; Long, Anson E.; Scharnetzki, Liz (June 2022). "Feeling out of (existential) place: Existential isolation and nonnormative group membership". Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 25 (4): 990–1010. doi:10.1177/1368430221999084. ISSN   1368-4302. S2CID   234806487.
  19. ↑ Sease, Thomas B.; Cox, Cathy R.; Knight, Kevin (2022-12-14). "Existential isolation and well-being in justice-involved populations". Frontiers in Psychology. 13. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1092313 . ISSN   1664-1078. PMC   9795838 . PMID   36591099.
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