How Loneliness Differs From Being Alone

The current social changes mean that many spend more and more time alone. Some examples of this are the aging population, changes in social dynamics, an increase in single-parent households, more people wanting to live alone, or crises associated with isolation. However, being alone is not to be equated with loneliness.

Loneliness doesn’t necessarily mean objective social isolation. According to some authors, loneliness has both an emotional component (it’s an uncomfortable experience) and a cognitive component (you realize that you have fewer social relationships or that the ones you have are not enough).

How is solitude different from loneliness?

• To be alone. In this case, a person is physically alone, but does not feel lonely. You choose to be alone of your own free will. In other words, solitude is physical isolation on a voluntary basis.
• Lonliness. In this case, you have the need or desire to be in contact with other people, but for some reason you cannot implement it. Or your situation may allow you to socialize, but you feel insecure about what is leading or contributing to your loneliness. You may also feel useless, rejected, unmotivated, hyperactive, and even having a hard time making eye contact. In other words, loneliness is involuntary. Rather, it happens because you feel unable to get involved socially.

• Positive loneliness. Sometimes people need to be alone to rest and relax. In this case, solitude is pleasant. It’s an opportunity to be creative and reconnect with yourself.
• Alienation. This is the most extreme kind of loneliness in which you feel a void that separates you from your own identity. It’s like separating yourself from yourself, which leads to separating yourself from others too.

What are the consequences of feeling alone?

Loneliness is an uncomfortable feeling that can occur even when we are surrounded by people who love us. This condition can also be a sign of a more serious problem, and yet it is often overlooked.

People who feel lonely tend not to talk about it or they don’t admit that it is the main cause of their mood. It’s hard to see and accept that you feel lonely because it’s an undesirable thing. Usually, people feel embarrassed about their loneliness, while at the same time it is difficult to overcome.

The biggest complication that comes with feeling lonely is not asking for help. Many believe that it is a normal part of life and not a pathology.

But loneliness also has physical effects. Researchers have found that feeling lonely is a risk factor for potentially fatal or very harmful pathologies.

In other words, there is a link between loneliness and physical health. Some specific examples are cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, and sleep disorders. As for mental health, loneliness is a risk factor for depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and even suicide.

What is the solution?

It can be incredibly difficult to accept that you feel lonely, and it can be even more difficult to come up with a solution to this problem. The key is to change your attitude towards loneliness.

First, you should identify the underlying cause of your feelings. One way to do this is to think about what would make you stop feeling lonely. Once you’ve identified the reasons, it’s time to come up with a solution. Should You Improve Your Social Skills ? Find new friends? Make more contacts in groups?

A good strategy is to invest time volunteering to help others. Doing this has the potential to make you feel useful and your presence to be important to others. When you’re busy, you also have less time to deal with your loneliness.

Another option is to sign up for some group activities. For example, take a dance class, learn to paint, sign up for a book club … All of these are great ways to do something you enjoy while hanging out with other people.

Another advantage of today’s world is that you have the opportunity to meet people online. There are many platforms out there to meet new people who share your interests.

In summary, the first step in overcoming loneliness is to accept it. After that, it’s time to take action to include other people in your life and fill that inner void.