7 Effects Of Being A Loner, According To Psychology

Coming across the word "loner" can bring about several meanings. In fact, the term is often used to describe various scenarios where an individual might be by themselves or prefer a form of solitude. While often applied to someone who might be socially isolated, the word "loner" is also sometimes used as a misnomer for someone who is introverted, independent, or feeling lonely. Being a "loner" might even be a combination of any of these states, and can be either intentional or unwanted. Due to such nuances, there are several effects of being a loner to consider, as well as both positive and negative outcomes.

Before we delve into such effects associated with someone who is alone much of the time, it's important to understand the key differences between the underlying causes. First, loneliness can be understood as a feeling of being isolated from others, while chronic social isolation consists of long-term withdrawal from society (both intentional and unintentional). Independence, on the other hand, refers to a skillset in which someone is comfortable with completing tasks by themselves, rather than in a group setting. Finally, introversion is a personality type that's characterized by a preference for introspection rather than socializing in large groups of people. With these distinctions in mind, it's important to approach the concept of solitude and a "loner" state of being based on the overall cause and context.

There are many positive traits associated with both introverted and extroverted personalities. However, research suggests that introverts may have an upper hand in one key area: intense creativity. Because of their affinity for working in solitude and ability to think introspectively, many people who identify as introverts tend to work in creative fields. So if you identify as an introvert and also happen to be a writer, musician, designer, or visual artist, this is not a coincidence. You might also be happier working from home.

This isn't to say that every introvert has a creative job: it's not impossible for extroverts to be creative, either. Instead, extroverts tend to process information a bit quicker, and they might prefer creativity in group settings rather than be by themselves. To that end, you might see an extrovert using their creativity to lead groups of people, rather than on an in-depth level that an introvert might need to write that book — or solve that complicated math equation.

While introverts and extroverts are largely similar on the intelligence scale, introverted individuals tend to be more gifted, according to neurologist Friederike Fabritius via CNBC. Being "gifted" is usually defined as a combination of intelligence as well as an affinity for a specific talent.

If you've ever felt excluded or heckled because of your "loner" tendencies, there's research that backs up this type of social phenomena. There are many personality and physical traits — even just having a beard — that can have unexpected effects on what people think of you, and solitude is no exception. Overall, people who prefer to spend time alone may be at an increased risk for criticism from individuals who are more social and extroverted, per research published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. In severe cases, extroverted groups might try to socially exclude introverts.

One of the age-old questions is why social groups might treat "loners" in this way, particularly if being "part of the group" is often expected of individuals. Psychologists believe much of this has to do with misunderstandings between the two personality types. Introverts are often mischaracterized by their extroverted counterparts as being rude and anti-social. Cultural biases may also be another key factor in how extroverts might go out of their way to criticize introverts. One way to resolve this clash is to communicate with others about personality differences and how these might show up in social situations. Another is to not take things personally if you are an introvert or extrovert when you encounter someone on the opposite side of this spectrum, and to avoid criticizing those who have different socialization needs based on their own personalities.

Being a "loner" doesn't mean you automatically have a mental health disorder, so it's important that we avoid automatically jumping to negative associations between alone time and rhetorics surrounding mental health. With that said, it's also important to understand what the science says about the possible connections between mental health and social isolation. Unsurprisingly, the topic is heavily nuanced and should be approached with caution.

Any possible connections between being a loner and mental health disorders can be described as a "chicken or the egg" situation. First, isolating yourself from social situations can certainly stem from existing chronic mental health disorders that might reduce your willingness to be around others. According to WebMD, examples include anxiety disorders, depression, and schizophrenia. On the flipside, prolonged social isolation can increase the risk of mental health struggles. The Missouri Medicine journal also points out that social isolation might worsen preexisting anxiety and depression. Such effects can be tricky to get a handle on, and a psychologist may be able to determine which facet of social isolation and mental health to help tackle first.

The effects of being a "loner" as an effect of either social isolation or loneliness can extend beyond your mental health. You may even have your cardiovascular health to consider. In general, research in recent years has revealed a strong correlation between socializing and positive heart health, and while scientists are still trying to understand the exact connections between being alone and negative heart implications, current research suggests that isolation and loneliness may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even perceieved loneliness might be linked with these types of long-term health issues. What's more, loneliness and social isolation may also increase the risk of death following a major cardiac event. In fact, chronic loneliness can be linked with an increased risk for developing not only cardiovascular disease, but also stroke. 

Nevertheless, the data supporting exact causation is conflicting. As one 2024 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports noted, while cardiovascular disease risk increases with loneliness, there may be other factors that might contribute to these types of health outcomes, too. Examples include preexisting conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression.

Amid all the possible negative effects of being a "loner," there are also some positive effects associated with people who identify as being introverted to consider, too. (Keep in mind that introversion is different than loneliness and social isolation.) While some studies have shown that introverts who regularly socialize have better self-esteem, others reveal that introversion can also be linked with feelings of independence and self-reliance. In other words, introverts who like spending time alone are more likely to have good self-esteem as long as they still gain some periodic social interaction to prevent isolation.

Furthermore, according to 2021 research published in Frontiers in Psychology, people who are independent may experience higher self-esteem and have a more positive outlook about their lives. There may be a catch on this particular front, though, as the authors of this study also noted that life satisfaction was largely based on cultural contexts surrounding independence. While individualistic cultures (usually Western cultures) value independence, this personality trait is not coveted as much in collectivist societies.

While having an independent personality can carry some mental health benefits and resiliency, there are some cognitive downsides to consider with chronic loneliness and isolation that involve the anatomy of the brain. In fact, being alone too often — whether willingly or not — is thought to directly impair a person's cognitive function, per research published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. The risk is highest when being alone or feeling lonely is a long-term problem. According to Harvard Health, such effects were seen on a large scale during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many older adults experienced a decline in thinking and memory skills (which, however, could potentially be linked to specific blood types as well). Preexisting cognitive impairment and dementia were also worsened due to long-term social isolation.

Historically, the risk of loneliness-associated cognitive decline is greatest in older adults, potentially worsening cognitive issues, though loneliness and isolation are also linked with an increased risk of cognitive impairment as well. It's thought that chronic isolation may actually shrink your brain and cells, which can subsequently lead to these effects. 

It's not just an issue in older adults, though. One 2025 study from Penn State found that chronic loneliness affected cognitive abilities in young and middle-aged adults, too. Researchers are concerned that as younger adults spend more time alone, there may be an uptick in early onset cognitive decline.

Too much solitude may also lead to a loss of social skills. While you won't lose all of your ability to socialize from short-term cases such as an illness, the concern is when you're alone for long periods of time. In particular, psychologists warn that prolonged social isolation can deplete your social skills and make it harder to make and maintain friends in the long-run. Even worse, this can create a vicious cycle in which a person actively avoids available social opportunities, and can then reinforce poor social skills. Much of this has to do with altered brain functions that are associated with isolation. As one 2022 review in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience noted, people who are socially isolated are also at an increased risk for negative perceptions of socializing, as well as anxiety around social events altogether. These can then further exacerbate the problem of social isolation.

While there's nothing wrong with having alone time, the key here is finding a balance to prevent long-term isolation and a possible loss of social skills while maintaining happy relationships. It's also important to keep tabs on others who might be more isolated due to age or health problems so that they will not lose their social skills. If you've found yourself at a point where you want to have a conversation with someone or meet new people but feel like you can't, a psychologist might recommend taking small steps such as reaching out to loved ones, volunteering, and exercising outdoors. For older adults, you can also consider some surprisingly healthy group exercises to keep both your mind and body healthy.