Loneliness Among Persons With Severe Mental Illness

Abstract

Although studies show that loneliness increases risk of illness and hastens death, it is poorly understood among persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Using data on 150 people with SMI, we used logistic regression to predict (1) loneliness from sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and (2) psychiatric hospitalization from presence of loneliness. We also examined mediating effects. Study participants who were most willing to ask for help were 70% less likely (odds ratio [OR], 0.30; confidence interval [CI], 0.09-0.99; p < 0.05) to be lonely than those who were least willing, and participants with high levels of internalized stigma were 9.25 times as likely (CI, 9.25; OR, 2.29-37.32; p < 0.01) as other participants to be lonely. Participants who were most lonely were 2.69 times (CI, 1.03-7.04, p < 0.05) as likely to be placed in psychiatric hospitals as those who were less lonely. Loneliness mediates the association between internalized stigma and psychiatric hospitalization (OR, 1.30; CI, 1.04-1.73). Findings can be used to help prevent inpatient stay.

Responding to the Global Pandemic: A Pulse of the Well-Being of Clubhouse Communities Moving Virtual

“…Clubhouses serve to enhance the quality of life for people with SPMI [10][11][12][13], and thus assist in creating spaces for people to develop greater social networks [2,13], cultivate educational and vocational abilities [14,15], and participate in the larger society [10,12]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people with SPMI, who voluntarily sought the benefits of increased social support and social engagement through Clubhouse participation, were now forced to remain at home-increasing the likelihood of isolation and loneliness (and potentially subsequent hospitalization) among this already at-risk population [7][8][9]. Further, drawing out individuals who are significantly at-risk for social withdrawal and isolation is at the heart of Clubhouse communities' aims [3,7].…”

“…Because of the additional mental health concerns related to COVID-19 for the SPMI population and thus Clubhouse members (e.g. inducing fear and isolation onto individuals for which vulnerabilities to fear and isolation are already more apparent) [7][8][9], the move to a virtual format was conducted swiftly. Given that Clubhouses provide essential services to this population, the abrupt move to a virtual community was not only timely, but necessary.…”

The Influence of Health Literacy and Social Support on Loneliness Among Patients With Severe Mental Illness in Rural Southwest China

“…In some cases, individuals with SMI might internalize stigma of mental illness. To be specific, they may feel that having psychopathology makes them perform oddly in social situations or that such performance will be embarrassing, then perhaps they they will create negative affect like feeling inferior and steering clear of people because they have adopted beliefs in the larger society that SMI patients are subordinate to everyone else ( Prince et al, 2018 ). All these experience can increasing the likelihood of feeling lonely.…”

Relationship between Loneliness and Self-Efficacy Among Persons with Schizophrenia in Indonesia

“…Lower self-esteem may reduce the tendency to seeking support hence could lead to loneliness 19 . Persons with severe mental illness who asking help from others could receive social support that could protect them from loneliness 20 . On the contrary, the result of this study was different from previous studies showing that self-efficacy was not correlated with loneliness in persons with schizophrenia 8,15 .…”