Loneliness affects everyone, even the most cheerful of persons. Some say it's chemical, some say it's psychological, and others claim it to be the result of the various stresses and social pressures people experience from day to day. Regardless, loneliness is a given of human life, but the danger lies not in the emotion itself but in the increasing number of instances and the growing number of people on the planet who are chronically, habitually, and detrimentally affected by this emotional epidemic.

Loneliness can bring a person down as it not only affects the emotional and psychological makeup of a person but also the physical makeup and state as well. People get sick because of loneliness, and in many instances, avoiding the emotion becomes unavoidable. To this, let's take a look at the current "Epidemic of Loneliness" affecting the world today, and how going online and immersing oneself in long-distance social activities like multiplayer gaming can somehow alleviate, if not completely counteract, the dire effects of this particular human malady.

An Epidemic of Loneliness

Though loneliness is felt by everybody from time to time, the people critically affected and at risk are the younger adult crowd, say around 20 to 39. With fewer people getting married today due to social and economic factors that plague our time, young people who should be energetic, at the prime of their youth, and considered the most productive generation, are succumbing to melancholy, lethargy, and social isolation.

The way people live today can be a huge factor in causing the societal situations brought about by rapid advancement, progress, and extreme modernization, at the same time reducing the amount of time or opportunity for face-to-face and meaningful social connections. People today would rather focus on their handheld communication devices and social media than talk to each other. What’s more, society in today’s world is a whole lot more competitive, and trying to keep up with the rest of humanity can be stressful, leading to feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, and other emotions that can result in loneliness.

Worst, pressures at work, the need and requirement to conform to the modern-day rat race, personal economic situations, social and emotional relationships, and romantic attachments (which may or may not work out), can all add to a person’s state of melancholia, and being lonely even right smack in the middle of a crowd. For the young, stress in love life is one of the major contributors to loneliness, as factors like economy, distance, social pressure, or simply being on the same page can lead to a very lonely life.

The epidemic is worldwide, especially in larger and/or progressive countries like China and Japan. Countries like these have a huge population of people who would rather live alone and thus experience loneliness and isolation at its highest form. In China, an app launched to assist and protect people who live alone, called “Demumu” (originally “Are You Dead?”). The app requires the user to log in daily just to inform that one is still alive. If a user fails to log in for several days, the app will contact the next of kin, a friend, or another personal contact the user has designated. Being alone is becoming a problem for society at large.

The Isolationist Phenomenon

There are people who intentionally isolate themselves from society and mainstream life. These people are usually described as reclusive individuals; however, the phenomenon became widespread in Japan by the late 1990s, when young adults began to exhibit extreme reclusiveness as a result of the socio-technological pressures they faced in daily life. By the 2000s, the number of societal isolationists had reached the million mark, and these people were termed as “Hikikomori” (societal isolationists). These people practically retreated from normal everyday life, not wanting to leave their homes, much less their rooms. They forego work, school, or any other form of social activity, and, as potentially young, productive adults, many ended up being supported by their aging parents instead of the other way around.

These situations and circumstances have led to a huge socio-economic problem in Japan and continue to this very day. Loneliness can turn people inward, leading to an extreme feeling of not being understood, and thus to complete shunning of society. The Hikikomori phenomenon is not limited to Japan; it is the Japanese term for an extremely reclusive person, and there are Millions of them in today’s world. In whatever country, wherever in the world, there will always be people who will be extremely lonely and turn drastically inward.

The Relief of Online Gaming

Luckily, the same technological advances that have brought about the emotional epidemic can also provide a very good and effective way of combating loneliness. This is (of course) by going online and interacting with others from all over the world. While Online Gaming and Social Interaction is not a guaranteed cure for the emotion, it can help a lot by immersing the person enough to forget the feeling of being alone, being practically alone, and feeling lonely, and alone. Here are some reasons why MMO gaming can counteract one’s loneliness.

To begin with, you end up meeting people. Usually, you end up making online friends with people all over the world. Since you are considered together in an online location (Chat room, Forum, or Online Game), you acquire a shared sense of community like a club or group. When it comes to playing games together online, you usually become teammates and foster cooperation and camaraderie as you go against other teams in the game.

Playing with others in a team-based environment provides what is known as “Social Capital” or belonging. It becomes a social bridge to others like you, without the pressure of actual physical social interactions, like going to a Bingo club and marking cards with so many others there. Since now you belong to a worldwide group without leaving your house (or room), you gain self-esteem, feel less isolated, and experience greater well-being.

MMO gaming helps a lot, but in all practicality, it does not become a cure-all for loneliness. It really depends on the game and whether you can actually build long-distance social connections with others beyond the gaming activity. Continually sending e-mails, chatting online, video conferencing, and maintaining social contact with your “Friend” are key to alleviating loneliness. Sadly, though, there are many instances in which playing too many online games and MMOs has contributed more to the isolation and complete alienation of a person from society at large.