Alone & Lonely Are Not Synonymous: Loneliness is a State of Mind
Let’s face it: most of us are feeling lonelier overall than we ever have before. But sometimes being alone and being lonely are often confused.
What we sometimes forget is that we can be very happy alone. But usually when we’re lonely, we want something to shift or change.
The sad irony in loneliness is that it makes us feel like we’re alone and isolated in feeling that way. And yet, so many of us feel lonely that if we opened up about it more and did something about it, we wouldn’t feel nearly so alone.
Loneliness comes with significant health effects, and low social connection carries similar health risks to smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
It can lead to depression, make it more difficult to interact with others (which is of course, more sad irony) because it makes lonely people more sensitive to social situations and the perceived stakes when having those kinds of interactions, increased risk of heart disease, and can lead to unhealthy habits when it comes to how we eat, move and workout
On top of that, deep feelings of loneliness on an ongoing basis can lead to increased stress, poor memory and decision making, and can even lead to progression of conditions like Alzheimers.
Today we’re breaking down the significant differences between being alone versus being lonely, along with:
- Objective loneliness vs subjective
- Perpetual loneliness and how it affects us
- Sitting in it and experiencing it rather than reaching for something random to take away the pain
- Feeling lonely within the context of romantic relationships
Ready to dive in? Let’s do this.
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