Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

Working From Home May Be Quietly Making Some People Miserable, New Research Suggests

Research suggests prolonged remote work can increase loneliness and distress, especially for people who live alone.

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

As someone who’s worked remotely for years now, and who has lived alone for the majority of that time, I can attest to the idea that remote work worsens mental health. In fact, I’ve had to “hack” my brain by forcing myself up and out of the house to the nearest coffee shop each weekday morning. Otherwise, I would find myself falling into my OCD compulsions like ruminating and reassurance-seeking for hours on end.

Of course, not everyone suffers from severe OCD. But my point stands: Remote work can have negative mental health impacts. In fact, recent research found that psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness increased for people in remote jobs. However, those remote workers who lived with their families did not experience the same increase in........

© Vice