I Am Enough
Alone or lonely
Is there a difference to being alone or lonely, what does it mean to you to be alone or lonely? Alone and lonely are both adjectives, but they have different meanings. A person is alone when they are by themself. A person is lonely when they feel abandoned or sad due to isolation. Since alone and solitary both contain the letter A, you can remember that alone refers to a state of solitude, rather than an emotion.
There are times we all feel lonely. The feelings of loneliness are personal, so everyone’s experiences of loneliness will be different.
One common description of loneliness is the feeling we get when our need for rewarding social contact and relationships is not met. But loneliness is not always the same as being alone.
You may choose to be alone and live happily without much contact with other people, while others may find this a lonely experience.
Or you may have lots of social contacts, or be in a relationship or part of a family, and still feel lonely – especially if you don’t feel understood or cared for by the people around you.
I never feel lonely when I’m in nature. I feel more connected than ever when I’m walking alone through a wood or by a river.
How can I manage loneliness?
This page has some tips and suggestions for managing feelings of loneliness:
- Take it slow
- Make new connections
- Try peer support
- Try to open up
- Talking therapies
- Social care
- Be careful when comparing yourself to others
- Look after yourself.
Some people find these ideas useful, but remember that different things work for different people at different times. Only try what you feel comfortable with, and try not to put too much pressure on yourself. If something isn’t working for you (or doesn’t feel possible just now), you can try something else, or come back to it another time.
