Loneliness
Written May 2002
I've wondered if being lonely means there
is something wrong with you. Shouldn't you be happy with yourself,
and not need to be around other people to feel good? If there is something
missing within you, that leaves you needing someone else to fill that
hole, I do believe there is something wrong. You should be able to
be alone, and feel fine about it.
Though, I guess using myself as an example,
perhaps it's alright to feel lonely, if you are alone a lot. Would
you agree with me? Humans are creatures that need companionship, and
to be around others. Maybe it's alright to feel lonely when you rarely
get to be around people, and it's bad to feel lonely when you are
rarely alone. Though what about the area's in-between? At what point
is it alright to feel lonely? 60% Alone / 40% Around others? 70/30?
80/20? I wonder if any studies have been done, to find the ratio that
deems feeling lonely as normal.
For a study though, other factors would
need to be considered. The biggest would be how well you know the
people around you. If there are no real close friends to share things
with, or vent to, then I figure the ratio would be much different
than with the person who has a lot of close friends. That's if the
person with no real close friends can ever not feel lonely. I think
that would be possible, but loneliness would be an emotion they would
know really well.
Anyway, that's it for now.