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Study explores the relationship between loneliness and mental health problems
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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In a new study, researchers looked at whether lonely people are more likely to develop problems like depression and psychosis. Based on medication use, the correlation is clear.
"We found a link between loneliness and several mental health problems," says Associate Professor Ruben Rodrigues-Cano from the Department of Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
"The risk that a lonely person will also suffer from mental health problems is higher than that of people who do not feel lonely."
The results are published in the journal BJPsych Open.
What came first?
The mental health problems identified in the study are serious and varied.
"Our research shows that loneliness increases the risk of developing psychosis, bipolar disorder and major depression," says Rodriguez-Cano.
But does loneliness cause mental problems, or do mental problems cause people to feel lonely?
It's possible that it's both.
"When assessing how loneliness develops from adolescence to adulthood, we found that people with psychotic and bipolar disorders were more likely to experience an increase in loneliness after adolescence.
While we cannot establish a cause and effect relationship in our study, the correlation between loneliness and serious mental illness is clear over the long term," says Associate Professor Rodriguez-Cano.
Multiple correlations
Solitude and loneliness are two different things. Some people choose to be alone and feel good about it without negative impacts on their mental health, but lonely people can suffer greatly.
"For example, people who are in the early stages of mental illness in adolescence may have problems with social relationships. This can lead to them feeling more alone, and this worsens their psychopathology," Rodriguez-Cano says.
Additionally, people who feel lonely in general may experience low self-esteem, which can lead to loneliness, which in turn can increase mental health problems in adulthood.
The researchers studied about 2,600 people participating in the long-term Young in Norway study, which has been running since 1992. It includes thousands of people who were teenagers in the 1990s.
The researchers can therefore see how the participants coped over time. In this study, they followed the participants for over 20 years. The information collected was compared with medication use data from the Norwegian Prescription Database.
"More than 80% of the participants were not receiving psychiatric medications during the study period," says Associate Professor Rodriguez-Cano.
In other words, most people do not suffer from mental health problems. However, 12% received at least one type of psychotropic drug, and 7% received two or more. Together, these groups account for almost 500 people.
"Researchers, policymakers and various social actors, both at the preventive and clinical levels, need to monitor loneliness in adolescence. We need to create opportunities for young people to feel less lonely, thus preventing mental health problems," Rodriguez-Cano said.
Source: Medical Xpress