The feeling of loneliness has been studied scrupulously both in science and from a general perspective. Being very haunting and having a tremendously negative impact of an individual when growing out of proportions, it remains one of the most haunting emotions. According to Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010), social interactions are vital for an individual’s well-being, which is why most people naturally seek company. In their article, Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) analyze the mechanisms of loneliness development, concluding that loneliness impairs patients’ immune system, causing them to develop disorders in physical and mental health. Although the article could have used more references to real-life cases, the general argument is very strong and coherent.
The presence of strong evidence that supports the argument, as well as a profound theoretical background, should be deemed as the essential advantages of the article. Despite the fact that the state of loneliness and the negative emotions that it causes are very subjective phenomena, the article features solid statistical analysis that proves the presence of correlation and, perhaps, even causation between loneliness and negative changes in one’s body (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010). Therefore, the incorporation of the tools that allow supporting the specified perspective and obtaining the evidence that can be used to elicit vital information, is strongly appreciated.
However, there have also been several oversights made by Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) in their study. The descried gaps in the quality of the evidence that Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) have produced reduces the credibility of their previous research, yet it does not change its outcomes entirely. Instead, Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) manage to convey that a balanced approach toward assessing individuals’ experience in relation to their engagement with their communities is needed in order to produce the desired effect and prompt change in the patterns of socialization.
Nevertheless, the authors have managed to provide a compelling analysis of the problem of loneliness as one of the essential contributors to mental health issues in vulnerable groups. The emphasis on the sociocultural factors that define the development of mental disorders associated with loneliness has made the study particularly important. The issue of chronic perceived isolation that constant loneliness entails is a major warning sign of the need to change the environment and introduce an individual suffering from loneliness to a community where the said individual could communicate with others and socialize. Therefore, the study plays a crucial part in understanding how the mental health issues linked to loneliness are developed, and how the further deterioration of a patient’s mental health state can be prevented in the scenario of an increasing feeling of loneliness.
Despite the lack of evidence from a social worker’s practice, the study by Hawkley and Cacioppo (2010) still produces a major impact due to the threat that it emanates. Since loneliness in its social essence is often equated to ostracism, the state of being lonely may be linked to being shunned or otherwise socially punished. Therefore, the sense of shame that the experience of loneliness may entail is expected to affect an individual on a very deep level, causing a disruption in their social functioning. Consequently, since loneliness is most likely to be perceived as the state of relationship with no reciprocity, it can be deemed as highly conductive to the development of health issues, including disruptions in mental and physical health.
Reference
Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness matters: A theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218-227. Web.