[Goldcrest]

Do people who live alone suffer more mental illness? Or are people with mental illness more likely to live alone?

Noticed that quite a few people do. It certainly makes relationships more challenging as there is always one more thing to deal with.

[Crazy Hitch]

Hi goldcrest,

Great question! I've never thought of that one before and you have me scratching my head.

I wonder what the statistics would say?
Im going to go on a whim here and say that I can certainly think of a mental health diagnosis or two, that if one were to compare something like divorce rates with those with the illness versus the general population- the divorce rate "could" be higher.

Hope I don't get slapped on the wrists for putting that out there.

[gloamingone]

For myself, I do better living alone. Not possible anymore given my kids and boyfriend. It just seems like the more people are around me, the more drama my poor little brain likes to come up with!

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[-jimi-]

I do not know about MI, but for lifespan it shortens a married woman's life compared to an unmarried woman, but lengthens a married man's life compared to an unmarried man.

[Ripose]

I would say for myself that MI caused me to be alone. Any time I was with a woman it usually lasted less than a year. My current wife being the only exception, we have been together 11 years, which is incredible considering how I can get.

My sister actually thanked my wife for staying with me!

[eskielover]

I know that my depression & anxiety has improved since I left my bad marriage after 33 years & haven't even felt the desire to be suicidal any longer.....

When the MI is caused by situational issues, then when you change the situation that's causing the issues, they are bound to improve.

After the bad years I had it's NOT LIKELY that I would ever want to get married again & living alone is definitely the only choice I want after what I lived with.

[gayleggg]

I think mental illness might come first. I know it's hard dealing with others when my moods are screwed up.

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[Goldcrest]

Just had a look to see if I could find out anything on the web, and there seems to be evidence both ways (isn't there always). There is a study from Finland that shows more people living alone took antidepressants during the study period than those who didn't live alone. But no way of knowing if they lived alone because of their illness, or got ill because they lived alone.

BMC Public Health | Abstract | Living alone and antidepressant medication use: a prospective study in a working-age population

Is living alone bad for your mental health? - Latest News - Best Health

Living alone shouldn't of itself lead to mental illness, but isolation can (it says somewhere...)

In the UK one in three people live alone. A lot of people choose to these days. It has advantages and disadvantages.

This is a study from the US that says no proof people living alone more likely to have pre-existing psychological conditions and no more likely to have mental illness than others (it is older, from the 1980s):

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.230...21104729409731

[-jimi-]

I have always been kind of odd and I have lived in many odd constellations and that has been OK. Since years though I live alone but I'm still very much connected to my friend who basically comes and goes as she pleases in my home so it is another type of living I think than truly living alone (I have done that too).

I'm actually quite OK with any of this. What I do notice though is I have a huge need of own time. I'm not like those people who feel better if they stay in close touch with others and socialize themselves out of sadness.

Some people truly feel bad for not being able to connect with others. I'm so not like that. I'm on antidepressants and I live alone. Or do I? I have my pets. Without, I'd go crazy and with people closer I'd go crazy too.