You may be lazy when it comes to exercise and she may not be great at displaying her affection. But she can egg you on to keep up with a workout routine and you can help her lean into her emotional side. When you help each other, you bring about the best versions of yourself and improve each other – physiologically and psychologically.
That sense of partnership is missing from the lives of those who are single. That’s why the psychological effects of being single too long mostly manifest in the form of poor mental health. So, is being single too long unhealthy? It can be said, given that being single causes depression, anxiety and a reduced will to live.
# You become less cooperative, more assertive When you have someone in your life to take care of or someone who takes care of you, it sure feels amazing, right? What relationships also give us is a tendency to be more adjusting and flexible. Sharing your mental or physical space with another human being is not easy – it never was and never will be. Eventually, you learn to give a piece of yourself to someone else and be okay with it. That makes you a little more selfless.
In comparison, the psychological effect of being single too long reflects in your assertiveness when asking for something. Whether that be your possessions, time, physical space – you’re sharing less, in simple words. As weird as it sounds, the same logic applies to children who grow up with siblings and those who grow up without any.
# You are less aware or intuitive about others’ emotions As someone rightly said, when you’ve experienced pain, it’s much easier to perceive or be aware of someone else’s pain too. That said, a relationship teaches us many lessons that go beyond pain. It allows us to view the importance of wearing one’s heart on one’s sleeve.
But when you’re on your own for too long, you become oblivious to the worries or joys of the ones around you. Oftentimes, you end up being the last person to know about a tragic or a happy incident in your colleagues’ lives because they begin to assume you don’t care. You’re so used to worrying about your own issues that you forget to inquire about other people’s lives or be involved.
# Reduced stability and self-worthA healthy relationship lends a feeling of stability and security in life. Humans are forever in search of a home. Sometimes, the home is a house built of bricks and other times, it is a person we can call our own. When we achieve that, we are at a stable place in life, which allows us to plan ahead and live longer and stress-free.
According to a recent study, researchers have found that reduced emotional stability and diminished self-worth are among the psychological effects of being single too long. The study elaborates that although untrue in the case of young adults, a person who has been single for too long or is well into adulthood is most likely to psychologically suffer in the absence of a relationship.
# Reluctance toward new relationships
Only if we open our hearts to love, with a hundred percent faith and belief, will we find the one we’d love to spend an eternity with. Although it is tough trusting someone again, it is not impossible. Take small, firm steps toward rebuilding your faith in love, we’re sure you’ll get there. Don’t stop trying!
They say the ones who are single for too long are the hardest to love but in reality, they’re the ones who have a tough time loving someone. Being single causes depression and a heightened distrust in others. Those who have been on their own for far too long, refuse to believe – for obvious reasons – that anyone is here to stay for good.
# Self-sabotaging your relationships
Even if you end up convincing yourself that you should be in a relationship with a particular someone, staying happy with them is a task too. When things finally start going well, you may begin to question everyone around you. All the right things suddenly seem to be wrong and you lose interest in your relationship.
As I spoke to a couple of friends from work, I noticed that most of us are scared of failure. Whether that be in our careers or relationships, we are desperate to be successful. Sometimes we are not, but that does not mean we stop trying. A majority of my friends seem to view their current relationship on a comparative scale. Past relationships are not your current ones for a reason – let them go. If you wish to find reasons to stay, only one will also be good enough.
# Increased confidence in social situations
According to a study published in American Psychological Association, individuals who have been on their own for too long have a better social life. So, is being single better than being in a relationship? Well, it certainly is in certain aspects of life. For instance, singles can hang out with friends and colleagues more, which results in a better social status and connections. This also helps in personal and professional growth because better networking results in better opportunities, both for leisure and work.
The psychological effect of being single too long also includes an increased level of confidence when dealing with people outside of your family. This is because the more time you spend around people, the less shifty and more put together you become.