Loneliness

Sometimes people feel lonely.

This means they miss having friends. You can feel lonely even with other people near you.

Some people feel lonely for a short time. Others feel lonely for a long time. Being lonely can make your body feel sick. You might feel sad or have a hard time.

People can find ways to feel better. They can join groups or play with pets. It is good to connect with others.

Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling. It happens when a person feels alone.

You can feel lonely even when people are near you. This is different from solitude. Solitude is just being by yourself. Some people enjoy being alone, but loneliness feels like a type of pain.

There are two main kinds of loneliness. One is social loneliness. This is when you lack a group or a community. The other is emotional loneliness. This happens when you miss deep ties with family or partners.

Many things can cause these feelings. Moving to a new place can help cause it. Using the internet too much can also play a role. Some people may even inherit a tendency toward it through their genes.

Loneliness can affect your health. If it lasts a long time, it is called chronic loneliness. This can lead to heart problems or high blood pressure. People can find help through therapy. They can also join groups or care for pets to feel better.

Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling that happens when a person feels isolated. It is often described as a type of social pain. This feeling acts as a signal to help people seek out others. It is important to know that loneliness is not the same as solitude. Solitude is simply the state of being alone, which some people enjoy. However, loneliness is a personal feeling that can happen even when you are with other people.

There are two main ways this feeling works. In 1973, Robert S. Weiss explained that there is social loneliness and emotional loneliness. Social loneliness happens when a person lacks a wider group or community to belong to. Emotional loneliness comes from a lack of deep, close ties with others. This might mean missing a close family member or a romantic partner. Some researchers even split emotional loneliness into family loneliness and romantic loneliness.

Many different things can cause these feelings to start. A person might feel lonely after losing a loved one or a friend. Moving to a new place can also cause it. Some people might feel lonely because of their culture or how they were raised. Even using the internet too much can play a role. While the internet can help people connect, using it too much can sometimes lead to more isolation.

Loneliness can affect a person's body and mind in different ways. Short periods of loneliness might actually help people focus on their friendships. But when loneliness lasts a long time, it is called chronic loneliness. Chronic loneliness is linked to many health problems. These can include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. It can also lead to depression or even a higher risk of death.

People have written about loneliness for a very long time. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest stories to show this theme. In the 1930s, the writer Thomas Wolfe wrote about how loneliness is a part of life. Today, some leaders say loneliness is a major problem in our world. To help, people can go to therapy or join social groups. Some people also find comfort in owning pets or joining community activities.

Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to feeling isolated. Scientists often describe it as a form of social pain. This pain serves as a psychological mechanism. It motivates people to seek out social connections. Loneliness is different from solitude. Solitude is simply the state of being alone. Many people enjoy solitude without feeling lonely. Loneliness is a subjective emotion. This means a person can feel lonely even when surrounded by other people.

In 1973, Robert S. Weiss identified two principal types of loneliness. He published these ideas in his work, *Loneliness: The Experience of Emotional and Social Isolation*. The first type is social loneliness. This occurs when a person lacks a wider social network. These individuals may feel they lack a community or allies to help during distress. The second type is emotional loneliness. This results from a lack of deep, nurturing relationships. Weiss linked this to attachment theory. People need deep attachments with family or romantic partners. In 1997, Enrico DiTommaso and Barry Spinner further divided emotional loneliness. They identified family loneliness and romantic loneliness as distinct categories.

Loneliness can be categorized by how long it lasts. Transient loneliness occurs for a short period. This type can actually have positive effects. It can help a person focus on the strength of their existing relationships. Chronic loneliness is much more serious. This is loneliness that exists for a significant amount of time. Chronic loneliness is linked to many negative health outcomes. These include obesity and substance use disorder. It is also correlated with depression and cardiovascular disease. It can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. In severe cases, it increases the risk of death and suicidal thoughts.

Many complex factors can cause loneliness to begin. It can result from systemic issues or genetic inheritance. Cultural factors also play a role. For example, migrants may miss their home culture. This is often seen in students moving from collectivist Asian cultures to individualist English-speaking countries. Some people also lack meaningful relationships due to their family history. This might involve abusive environments or religious shunning. Relationship loss is another common cause. The death of a loved one or a breakup can trigger a grief response. Even life events like the birth of a child can cause loneliness through postpartum depression.

Technology and the internet have changed how we experience connection. There is a moderate correlation between extensive internet use and loneliness. Some researchers suggest the displacement hypothesis. This idea says people withdraw from the real world to spend time online. However, the relationship is often bidirectional. This means loneliness and internet use affect each other in both directions. Moderate use can actually reduce loneliness if people actively engage with others. Passive consumption of content is more likely to be linked to isolation.

Loneliness has been a major theme in human history. The *Epic of Gilgamesh* is one of the earliest literary examples. In the 1930s, the writer Thomas Wolfe argued that loneliness is an inevitable fact of human existence. He believed everyone feels lonely in a way they think is unique. Some academics view loneliness as an existential condition. This view suggests that because human life has limits, we can never fully satisfy our need for connection. In the 21st century, some professionals call loneliness an epidemic. Vivek Murthy, a former U.S. Surgeon General, has been among those making this claim.

Research shows that loneliness is widespread across all groups. It is found even among people in successful careers or marriages. However, it is most common among younger people. The BBC Loneliness Experiment found that 40% of people aged 16–24 feel lonely. In contrast, only about 27% of people over age 75 report feeling lonely. While genes play a role, they are not the main cause. A 2016 study found that the heredity of loneliness is only about 14% to 27%. This means individual experiences and the environment are much more influential. To help, people can use medical treatments like therapy or antidepressants. Social treatments include joining groups, owning pets, or connecting with a community.