Lonliness vs. solitude

[cyndi]

A post from Dr. Lowdog’s blog
“Loneliness can have severe detriments to your health, but it is not the same as solitude. I often find solitude to hold many joys and comforts.”

https://drlowdog.com/loneliness-versus-solitude/

 

[wasanah2]

They both appear to be a state of mind.  The outward appearance of the lonely and the one in solitude would be the same.  But the healthy mind/body is in solitude. 

I've talked to people who said they can be completely surrounded with people and still be lonely.  I believe people can choose to be one or the other as it is merely a state of mind.

 

[Motrukdriver]

I believe shyness or a lack of confidence/self esteem lead to a lonely state of mind. Personally I think I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies. I'm a social butterfly that loves being by myself for extend periods of time. Seems like a good balance...

 

[jonsun]

loneliness - being alone and not wanting to be
solitude - being alone and wanting to be

 

[user 2252]

One way to explore solitude is to get in touch with nature. (Love that part)

Thanks Cyndi!

 

[kayman]

I believe shyness or a lack of confidence/self esteem lead to a lonely state of mind. Personally I think I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies. I'm a social butterfly that loves being by myself for extend periods of time. Seems like a good balance...

You can describe that with one word. "Ambivert"

 

[SoulRaven]

Loneliness is a complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation. Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connection or communication with other beings, whether that be with your husband, wife, family or friends.  As such, loneliness can be felt even when surrounded by other people.

So it's not just a state of mind but a combination of how you treat and are treated by others. You could be married and still feel lonely, be in a relationship and still feel lonely. Most singles wish and hope for the perfect relationship where they can have some sort of love and or companionship. Unfortunately there is no such thing as the perfect relationship.

People are not meant to be alone and those whom are single choose to have a pet to fill that void that they feel through not being in a relationship. Animal lovers tend to share their love for their pet and tend to have pet companionship.

Solitude on the other hand is a state of seclusion or isolation, i.e., lack of contact with people. It may stem from bad relationships, loss of loved ones, deliberate choice, infectious disease, mental disorders, neurological disorders or circumstances of employment or other situations

Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may work, think or rest without being disturbed. It may be desired for the sake of privacy. It could also be having time for ones self so as to rest and reflect.

A distinction has been made between solitude and loneliness. In this sense, these two words refer, respectively, to the joy and the pain of a persons physical and mental being where by loneliness expresses the pain that one may feel and solitude would be the joy of a little me time type break.

Just my two cents.

 

[Willy]

I have my dog. 'Nuff said.

 

[dawnann7]

Personally I think I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies.  I'm a social butterfly that loves being by myself for extend periods of time. Seems like a good balance...

Bingo! That is me to a T. Well said.

 

[free2enjoy]

For me, solitude is that quiet time where I need to reconcile with myself, that I can't do it around others, that I can't look inward while the world is distracting me to look outward.  

To finally be still, alone, safe, etc..., gives me the ability to look within and do some housecleaning or to be creative.  

But the human person is built for community, for synergy, for friendship.   We just don't look inward, but we also look outwards and what we see are interesting people that capture our attention, triggering us to want to explore them, and vice versa.  

So, IMO, to be able to be alone when needed or wanted is critical to happiness, and to have a deep best friend companion (lover/buddy), both are needed for happiness.   The freedom to be self alone and with another person are both needed.

I definitely want to be alone when my only choice is to be with people stuck in the matrix.  No dogma for me.....rigid people don't bring anything beautiful to relationships so I would rather be alone.  I am fortunate to have my best buddy and I believe that there is someone for everyone out there, that it just requires one to keep meeting others for as long as it takes to recognize the match.  

Also, IMO, our DNA pushes us to find a mate and that is another source of the feeling of loneliness.  The male body and female body are made for each other and seek each other.  And the person inside the body seeks friendships, so between these two cravings comes the feeling of loneliness.   

But each person also has a relationship with self that must come before any other relationship.  We've all got to mature from being dependent children to interdependent adults.  

I love that the internet exists because it makes it possible to find ones tribe and socialize.  Certainly, it would be better to live in a tribe that has a beautiful synergy but if not for the internet, we all would be stuck forcing ourselves to socialize with people around us that simply don't get us.

 

[SoulRaven]

I love that the internet exists because it makes it possible to find ones tribe and socialize.  Certainly, it would be better to live in a tribe that has a beautiful synergy but if not for the internet, we all would be stuck forcing ourselves to socialize with people around us that simply don't get us.

The problem with loneliness is the lack of human companionship, sympathy, love and touch. The internet though allows us to communicate in various ways is actually making us more lonely due to the fact that it's making us less sociable. I would much rather go out and socialize with real people than being here in a whole other country writing in a forum.

 

[jimindenver]

I had solitude in Cottonwood last year. Boy was that heaven. When I felt the need for contact I drove around to meet people or went into town. You might say selective exposure.

 

[free2enjoy]

The problem with loneliness is the lack of human companionship, sympathy, love and touch. The internet though allows us to communicate in various ways is actually making us more lonely due to the fact that it's making us less sociable. I would much rather go out and socialize with real people than being here in a whole other country writing in a forum.

No doubt about that....also, it was in my solitude and loneliness that I shed a ton of emotional baggage that wasn't mine, that my emotions were being exaggerated.  It wasn't until I faced those emotions that I realized that underneath them, I was calm and clear.

 

[Capricci]

I believe shyness or a lack of confidence/self esteem lead to a lonely state of mind. Personally I think I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies. I'm a social butterfly that loves being by myself for extend periods of time. Seems like a good balance...

You sound like an INFJ. A rare personality that is introverted and re-energizes in seclusion, but then need to expend that energy with others, idealistically in deep and/or meaningful ways.

 

[free2enjoy]

You sound like an INFJ. A rare personality that is introverted and re-energizes in seclusion, but then need to expend that energy with others, idealistically in deep and/or meaningful ways.

I haven't taken that survey (too mental for me) but I've watched videos describing INFJ's and that's very descriptive of me.  Over the last several years, I've been unplugging from the matrix, so to speak, and just when I think I've recaptured most of my freedom, I realize that yet another layer of enslavement in my psyche and/or lifestyle still remains.   

For example, I sincerely hate how complex the financial systems are, and not only that, but the games played with these systems like rewards programs.  Layer upon layer upon layer of complexity which in the end is there to trap a person into a particular system that seeks to feed off that person's labor.

IMO, the truly wholistic (vs. holistic) life is centered on making a living from sharing a product and/or service that is based upon a true need of humanity.  That's what I do with my products at www.CSHstore.com.  That's my expression from my talents based upon what I found helped me and then I found a way to offer it to others.   It's the "work" I will take on the road with me when I'm able to be fulltime.  

That's what I love about people like Bob Wells, that they found a living serving the needs of others and what we all need are pathways to a healthier and easier life.   Easy means that there then is time to be creative (aka, play) which then leads to yet another unique expression to share with humanity, hopefully in a way that can be a source of thriving, entrepreneurship.   

I sincerely think humanity best exists as a synergistic tribe.  For example, it makes no sense that each of us cooks our own meals when among us are people who's art is to cook, their expression is in cooking, so to be able to pay them to do what they love to do would be wonderful.  I hate cooking.  In a tribe, people would gravitate towards what they love to do for the benefit of others....what they love to do.  A win-win all the way around.   

You might enjoy this.   It's my first attempt to make a Youtube video about a year ago.