Solitude and schizophrenia

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this review is to better understand the motives of individuals diagnosed with clinical schizophrenia who indicate that they want time alone. Is wanting solitude best understood as a form of escape, a form of quest, or something altogether more complicated?

Method: This narrative review of the literature began by inputting the following terms: solitude or isolation or withdrawal or anxiety or anhedonia + schizophrenia into the multidisciplinary Google Scholar database. Fifty-five of the 82 papers found were then selected for citation on the basis of their ability to answer the questions of interest.

Results: I found important differences between chosen and imposed solitude. Solitude can be self-imposed by social anxiety or anhedonia and can constitute a risk to health, but it can also reap benefits such as recovery of a sense of self, renewed harmony with nature, escape from sensory overload, stimulation of creativity, or awakening to spirituality.

Conclusion: The following recommendations can now be made to family members and clinicians: when individuals who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia seek solitude, first ensure their safety, then address their social anxiety, help to expand their social networks, and provide them with opportunities for positive withdrawal.

Keywords:

• Psychosis
• symptoms
• isolation
• anhedonia
• social anxiety