The paragraph on social isolation versus emotional isolation really helped me understand my brother more!

It seems that you are always going to understand people more and more over time, but I find this is especially true for me and my family members who have mental illnesses.

For example, my brother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia for twelve years now and I remember when I was younger and did not understand his condition; and I would beg him to come to family holidays because it was terribly sad not to have him there.

And I would have to say; it also made you feel guilty for being a "good enough" family member to have what it takes to make him feel comfortable enough to come.

As I became older and understood his disorder, I found I understood why he does or does not want to come to family functions. I understand that just like anybody else he has good days and bad days.

It is just when he has bad days, his expression of handling a bad day is isolation versus being around others to feel better and that makes sense. It makes sense that not everyone deals with their bad days the same way.

But especially for someone who exhibits social isolation behavior commonly, it makes even more sense.

So I think in learning this I will be able to further better my relationship with my brother.

My sister suffers from emotional isolation and it is impossible to get her to open up to the rest of the family even when we try our best. Sometimes I think that some people are not programmed to be responsive to others.

Does anyone know what kind of therapy is best for those with emotional isolation issues?

We would really like to get my sister some help. We feel like her life is just going by here as all she does is spend time by herself in her room.

She is on medication for depression already, but I think she needs a lot more help than that.

Emotional isolation is really quite tragic, especially when you find yourself in a relationship with someone who has difficulty connecting with other people. For myself I had to really stay committed to helping the one I love get past his emotional isolation.

I think that individuals who have true emotional isolation need solid therapy and someone who really loves them to make any progress. It may be painful, but some people are worth sticking around to help.

I now have wonderful husband I wouldn't have if I had given up too easily. Sometimes the best things are worth working for.

I think that there is a fine line between people who are emotionally isolated and people who are simply private. In fact, I tend to think that we live in an overly emotional culture that encourages us to fall in love at first site, cry over spilled milk, get exuberantly happy about new TV shows and tragically sad at the news of a celebrity breakup. Frankly, we are asked to feel a lot of things that it is probably not appropriate to feel.

I know that emotional isolation is real. I had a good friend who suffered from it for years and I think it contributed to his eventual suicide. But I don't think it is as common as often claimed and I think we often pathologize behavior that only seems abnormal in a culture that has its priorities out of line. People should be allowed to keep their feeling to themselves. Life is not a big group therapy meeting.

I had a boyfriend who was emotionally isolated. He liked being around me, but when it came to discussing feelings, he seemed to have none.

He also seemed uninterested in my emotions. Whenever I told him about how my best friend hurt me, he offered no support. He didn’t understand why I was upset, and he told me that things like that just don’t bother him.

In fact, it seemed that nothing affected him. I eventually broke up with him because of his lack of emotion, and even that didn’t seem to bother him. He took it way too easily.

I have often wondered if my brother suffers from emotional isolation. He has few friends, he has never had a girlfriend, he barely keeps in contact with myself or our parents and he works a job that keeps him away from people. He seems to be intentionally living a life that keeps him alone most of the time.

I don't know what happened. As a kid he was outgoing and very funny. You would even call him the life of the party. But once he hit his teenage years he became sullen and quiet and never really came out of it. He is now 26 and acts the same way he did when he was 14.

I don't know what to do for him. He won't let me get close so I can't really get him any help. My parents are exasperated too. We all love him and we only want him to be happy but he always pulls away so quickly when we bring up the subject. I am hoping that the loneliness eventually gets to him and that he seeks out some help on his own.

@OeKc05 - I was just like you for many years. The problem was that I never felt good enough about myself to present myself to others, so I remained emotionally and socially isolated.

Once I went away to college, I decided I had lived this way long enough. I forced myself to go to gatherings as a sort of exposure therapy. I made myself talk to people, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

The first dozen times or so, I shook and got red-faced. I plowed through regardless, and I ended up overcoming my fear and my obstacle to forming relationships.

The way I motivated myself to talk to that first person voluntarily was by telling myself that I had a lot to offer. I had a great personality, and though I might be different from the pack, that’s what made me interesting.

I suffer from social anxiety. I really would like to have a close friend, but I can never get out and meet new people because of my condition.

Every time that I try to go to a social event, I perspire heavily and shake a lot. I appear very strange to people, and that makes them draw away from me.

My sister took me to her office party once, and I ended up standing in a corner, having a panic attack. I had to call a cab home.

I know I need mental help, but I’m too nervous to talk to a counselor. He would be a new person, and I’m terrible at meeting new people.

I became both emotionally and socially isolated after years of trying to forge solid friendships. I got so frustrated with the betrayal and hurt that ensued. I think I tried too hard to be close with people who were trying to distance themselves from me.

A wall came up in my heart, and I started blocking people out. Sure, I was lonely and depressed, but putting up a barrier between myself and others for protection seemed to be the best option. I would rather be a little down than heartbroken.

I also avoided parties and get-togethers of all kinds. I stopped going out with my friends, because they had injured me in the past.

Now, any new friendships I make are superficial. I have acquaintances that I sometimes go places with, but there’s no obligation to call each other or make plans very often.