Lonesome kids are more likely to suffer psychosis as adults — and it’s way worse for women: study

Loneliness can hurt more than your child’s feelings.

Adults who experienced loneliness as children are more likely to suffer from psychosis, according to preliminary findings presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry.

Researchers analyzed reports from 285 people who had experienced their first episode of psychosis and 261 people who had not.

Compared to participants who reported a social childhood, researchers found that people who reported feeling lonely for more than six months before age 12 may have a higher risk of experiencing psychosis (hallucinations, delusions and confused thoughts) later in life.

“There is growing evidence of the negative health and social consequences of loneliness among adults, but much less is known about the long-term effects of loneliness among young people,” said Dr. Covadonga Diaz-Caneja from the Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health. Gregorio Maranon University General Hospital in Madrid, Spain, said in a statement at the conference which took place April 6-9 in Budapest, Hungary.

“Despite their preliminary nature, our results suggest that childhood loneliness may constitute an early risk factor for later psychotic disorders and support its role as a potential target for preventive mental health interventions from an early age.”

Loneliness during childhood was associated with a 117% increased risk of experiencing a psychotic episode later in life, even when accounting for factors such as social isolation, according to a report in the Independent.

The shocking results were even truer for women.

Those who reported experiencing loneliness during their elementary years had a 374% higher risk of psychosis as adults, while their male counterparts had a relatively marginal 17% increase.

“This may be particularly relevant given that childhood loneliness is a widespread phenomenon that appears to be increasing in recent years,” Diaz-Caneja said.

The United States officially declared loneliness an epidemic in 2022, as Americans reported increased feelings of loneliness and worsening mental health as a result of the pandemic.

Professor Andrea Fiorillo, president-elect of the European Psychiatric Association, said the new findings highlight “a worrying trend and underline the importance of addressing social connections and emotional well-being from an early age “.

Experts are increasingly warning of the risks of loneliness to physical and mental health: one study even found that the state of mind is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.