Being single for too long: Here's why this may be unhealthy for you

Being single can be good for you. The key is to find the right balance between too much isolation and not enough interaction with other people. Too much isolation can lead to depression while socializing all the time can make you feel like you're missing out on important things in life.

Studies suggest that people in relationships are considerably more likely to be happier and have stronger immunity against mental health disorders. They are willing to put up with any discomfort for the benefit of their loved ones, in contrast to individuals who have been single for an extended period.

To be single for a long time has an emotional effect on the body and mind. Here's how:

Your personality becomes more rigid

When you’re single for a long time you get used to your habits and attitudes. Slowly you adopt this personality that is great for a thriving career and other areas of your life but not romantic relationships.

A romantic relationship needs a lot of collaboration and that side of you becomes suppressed. You become less fun and you’re more likely to only focus on what you want which will further prevent you from finding someone suitable.

It can affect you physically

Relationships aren’t just a matter of romance and bliss. It’s a survival thing because some studies confirm that married couples have a lesser risk of developing heart disease as compared to their single counterparts and not just that, they recover faster from illness.

You lose your confidence

Dating around and meeting new people is a fun experience when you have your confidence intact. That confidence is built over time when you learn how to interact with different people and experience a couple of rejections.

But, if you’ve been out of the game for years, you really don’t know how things have changed. It’s almost like your dating muscles have withered which will affect your self-confidence and your ability to cope when things don’t work out.

It breeds loneliness

Did you know that you can be surrounded by many people and still feel lonely? It happens to many singles because something inside them longs for that one best friend and partner who they can experience life with.

You will have moments where you get to enjoy other people’s company but reality will start kicking in when you have to go back home alone.

This long-term loneliness can trigger other problems like overeating, alcoholism, exercising and other harmful habits to temporarily fill the void.

You might collect more baggage

Being single doesn’t automatically mean that you’re intentionally working on yourself and preparing for your future partner. For many singles, this is a time of partying, sleeping around and situationships.

If you live like this for a long time you collect a lot of emotional issues along the way. You might become incapable of pair bonding which can lead to a life of brokenness.

To add to that, the more bodies you collect, the undesirable you become to the potential partner you would want to be with.