There are many terms to consider when anyone talks about loneliness. When someone says “I’m feeling lonely” or “I live alone” we cannot tell what that means for them, and what, if anything, should be done for them…or often what they could do to help themselves.
The issues surrounding alone, loneliness and isolation are complex. When you review the thousands of articles on the internet not everyone uses the terminology the same way, and misguided help often comes from a lack of understanding of the significant dimensions to loneliness and isolation. For instance we know that “feeling alone” is a negative feeling, where the person feels emptiness, and they may or may not be physically alone. So addressing it requires a greater depth of consideration.
We explain in greater depth these following terms of loneliness: Being alone; Solitude; Loneliness; Physical Isolation; Social isolation; Emotional Isolation.
We highlight what situations arise when you make choices that affect yourself and others; what is healthy and what is not.
Some of these terms overlap with each other, and give further insight into the complexity of the various ‘terms of loneliness’.