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Loneliness Continued

October 20th, 2024 by Janet Chen

The Psychology Today article entitled “7 Types of Loneliness, and Why It Matters” discusses various aspects of loneliness.  The article says that for a happy life, people tend to need strong bonds with others.  We need to give and get support.  We benefit from being able to talk and confide with others.  We also need to have a sense of belonging.

For some people – being alone is peaceful and restorative; however, for others loneliness feels upsetting and takes away their energy.  They may develop mental health issues such as depression or anxiety due to loneliness.  According to the article, there are 7 types of loneliness:

  1.  New Change:  When experiencing a change like moving to a new city, starting a new job or starting school, you are unfamiliar with routines and the environment.  Due to these changes, you may feel lonely.
  2. Being Different:  Feeling different from other people can make you feel isolated.  If you have different faith, skills, or interests, these differences can leave you feeling lonely.
  3. No significant other:  You may have family and friends, but you feel lonely due to not having an intimate partner or significant other.  Or you may have a partner that you don’t really feel deeply connected to.
  4. No pet “Loneliness”:  Many people feel the need to connect with animals.  Whether it is a cat, dog, or horse, many people are sustained by these relationships in a way that human relationships don’t replace.  For these people, something is missing without an animal in their lives.
  5. No-time-for-me:  Sometimes we know people who are friendly, but don’t become close friends.  They might be too busy with family, work or other friends.  You might want to have a deeper connection with them, but they don’t seem to be interested.
  6. Untrustworthy:  At times, you may have friends where you start to doubt whether they are truly well-intentioned.  You are friends, but you don’t quite trust them for various reasons such as jealously, competition, or not feeling that they will lookout for you.  An important part of friendship is believing that you have each others’ best interest at heart.  When this doesn’t occur, it is hard to put much energy into maintaining the relationship.
  7. Presence Loneliness:  At times, you may experience loneliness due to not having someone else around.  You can have family or many friends, but you miss having someone to hang out with at home.  Some people like to have a roommate, family member or sweetheart in the house.

It is important for people to recognize why they might be feeling lonely.  Once they understand the reason for loneliness, they can make adjustments to better cope with their situation and feelings.  This awareness can help them develop better coping skills and possibly avoid becoming depressed and anxious.

For more information please contact Dr. Steven Chen.

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