A recent study indicates that loneliness significantly affects how socially anxious individuals respond to stress, evidenced by lower blood pressure increases.
If you struggle with social anxiety, your body might react differently to stress than others, and loneliness could be a big reason why. A new study suggests that people with high social anxiety tend to feel lonelier, which in turn is linked to a weaker cardiovascular response to stress. Specifically, researchers found that their blood pressure didn’t rise as much during stressful situations, a reaction that could have long-term health effects.
Does loneliness link social anxiety to heart health?
The findings were recently published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology. Research has linked social anxiety to various health issues, including heart problems and high blood pressure. However, studies on how socially anxious individuals respond to stress have shown mixed results. Some suggest a weaker cardiovascular response, while others find no clear link. To explore this further, researchers investigated loneliness as a potential factor.
Study author Adam O’Riordan, from the University of Texas at San Antonio, explained, “I’m passionate about understanding how psychological factors affect physical health, especially cardiovascular health. My research focuses on how stress responses connect social anxiety, loneliness, and other psychological factors to long-term heart risks like hypertension.”
To dig deeper, researchers examined whether loneliness influences the link between social anxiety and cardiovascular reactivity. Their findings confirmed that the stress tasks effectively raised participants’ blood pressure and heart rate, and they reported feeling more stressed afterwards. Interestingly, while socially anxious individuals experienced greater self-reported stress, social anxiety alone didn’t directly impact cardiovascular responses. In other words, it didn’t predict changes in blood pressure or heart rate during stress tasks.
How loneliness affect stress response
The study found that loneliness played a key role in blood pressure reactivity. Participants who felt lonelier showed a smaller increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure during stress. To explore this further, researchers used mediation analysis and discovered that loneliness acted as a bridge between social anxiety and cardiovascular reactivity. In simple terms, socially anxious individuals were more likely to feel lonely, and this loneliness was linked to a weaker blood pressure response to stress.
This effect was significant for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure but did not impact heart rate. The researchers emphasized that while a heightened cardiovascular response to stress is often seen as harmful, a blunted response can also have negative consequences. A weak stress reaction may signal disengagement or an imbalance in the body’s ability to handle stress.
“Socially anxious individuals often avoid social situations due to persistent negative self-beliefs and fear of judgment,” O’Riordan told PsyPost. “This leads to greater social isolation and loneliness, which, as our study suggests, plays a crucial role in shaping both physiological and psychological stress responses—potentially impacting long-term health.”
Limitations of the study
Since it was observational, it cannot confirm a direct cause-and-effect relationship between social anxiety, loneliness, and cardiovascular reactivity. The connection might be more complex, with factors like lifestyle or emotional well-being also playing a role. Additionally, researchers are unsure whether these effects remain consistent over time or change with life circumstances.
The study examined a general population, meaning participants had varying levels of social anxiety rather than a diagnosed disorder. As a result, the effects might be stronger in clinical populations. Despite its limitations, the research suggests loneliness plays a key role in why some socially anxious individuals show weaker blood pressure responses to stress, a pattern that could have long-term health risks.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
To learn more about stress, go to stress.org
HT Lifestyle Desk | Edited by Akanksha Agnihotri
