Solitude And Interpersonal Relationships

The lack of solitude in modern-day society has dramatically diminished the quality of interpersonal relationships; however, new technology has provided a unique community for people to thrive in, emphasizing the need for a healthy balance between the two. During the recent reports that have been done on the effects of solitude and technology, one term has developed that is used to measure the interpersonal relationships that society has: social capital. Social capital, defined as “the capacity of individuals to accrue benefits by dint of their personal relationships and memberships in particular social networks and structures,” has fluctuated over the past several years; however, experts struggle to find an accurate way of measuring it other …show more content…
The constant beeps and buzzing of smartphones has the supreme ability to distract people from self-reflection, which causes individuals to never truly be alone. Religious aloneness has often been deemed the true way to not only connect with oneself, but additionally, build and foster a relationship with G-d. Beginning with the medieval monks and progressing through more recent Christian thought, “the act of being alone has been understood as an essential dimension of religious experience…[for] through the solitude of rare spirits, the collective renews its relationship with divinity” (Deresiewicz). Especially within the religious community, there appears to be a consistent incompatibility between the desire for divinity and the fear of missing out. Contact with the outside world is almost always within a few taps on a small screen, and this gives individuals the choice between religious solitude or digital companionship, with many opting for the latter over the …show more content…
New York University professor Ester Buchholz references psychoanalyst and pediatrician Donald Woods Winnicott when addressing this need for solitude in mental health treatment, “In almost all our psychoanalytic treatments, there come times when the ability to be alone is important to the patient. This silence...turns out to be an achievement on the part of the patient” (Buchholz 105). As shown from Winnicott’s treatments, solitude is essential for mental health patients in order to increase their well-being. Conversely, when patients do not get their time alone, their well-being does not increase. This reflection period, much like in religion, allows mental health patients the ability to examine themselves and distress from their daily activities. When technology is within arm’s reach of these patients, the natural tendency for them is to distract themselves using technology, preventing them from focusing on themselves, a key part of mental health