Loneliness — a subjectively felt phenomenon, the emotional state of a person, which occurs most often due to the lack of positive relationships with other persons and, as a rule, has negative consequences. Also — isolation or solitude, that is, lack of contact with other people.
Loneliness — a characteristic associated with time: it can be chronic or temporary — in the event of a break in relations with a loved one or his death. Loneliness should not be confused with those cases when a person periodically needs a “rest” from communication.
Loneliness — a common phenomenon in large cities, where communication with various people takes place briefly and superficially, and there is not enough time to establish long-term and trusting relationships. Loneliness can be experienced by a young man or girl who cannot find a suitable partner, or an elderly person who has lost friends and relatives and cannot find a common language with the younger generation. Loneliness is often experienced by people with an inert nervous system, who hardly make new contacts, slowly get used to new acquaintances. In extreme cases, loneliness can lead to depression.
Reminiscent of loneliness, but at the same time is not of such a deep nature, the lack of feedback, caused either by the situation or by the temperament (psychological type) of this person. In turn, loneliness can be caused by deep pathological changes in the individual’s psyche (see, for example, autism).
There are a number of psychological factors that contribute to loneliness. For example, it can be low self-esteem, which leads to avoiding contact with other people for fear of being criticized, which, in turn, creates a vicious circle — as a result of lack of contact, self-esteem drops even more. Poor communication skills also contribute to loneliness. People with poorly developed interpersonal skills, low socialization due to fear of failure in relationships or falling into psychological dependence also often seek loneliness, especially if they already have bad experiences with other people.
If loneliness cannot be overcome in time, the process of destruction of the personality begins.