Are People The Solution To Loneliness?

 

This is like kicking to dust in the midst of summer.  Are people the solution to LONELINESS?  Indeed, quite a controversial question that can stir the hornet's nest.  BUT alas, it's human nature, WHEN we're gripping with LONELINESS, we always think that people are the solution.  No Senor!!!

From a layman's perspective [without tapping all those clinical researches], I strongly believe that the best antidote to LONELINESS is to face it head-on, either tear it down OR succumb to it at its very fringes.  Sadly, WHEN we get pushed much deeper into that morass, there is a default feeling that you're alone in that struggle and the only way to get you extricated from it is to leverage on someone else.  Seriously???

Ooooops, I WON'T be that ashamed to admit that I did have my fair share of those LONELINESS episodes [and it's NEVER easy dude].  Problem is, WHEN we're feeling lonely, the defaulting natural thing to do is to seek out company, to message OR call out a friend OR easily say YESSSSSSS WHEN someone invites for a hangout, especially those Friday nights, TGIF kind of thing. BUT counterintuitively, a new study finds that IF we're lonely, being around other people may NOT actually help us feel any much better💚💛💜

Tapping into recent researchers, they found out that people WHO felt lonelier had lower well-being in that moment, in terms of the kinds of emotions they were feeling, like happiness, anger, sadness and boredom, as well as their sense of satisfaction and meaning.  Personally, I DIDN'T get shocked with those results.  BUT WHAT was kind of surprising is that this pattern was even stronger WHEN people were in a social situation, WHEN we might expect to be protected from that pain and [sometimes] anguish of LONELINESS.  There were studies conducted in the aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic WHICH suggested two reasons WHY being around others might NOT comfort us WHEN we're feeling LONELY for the reason that people feeling LONELY had a greater desire to be alone, and the more they wanted solitude, the worse they felt❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  I DON'T need to look too far way back.  Simply put, the mantra I always embraced was to FIND A WAY THAT WORKS FOR YOU.  After all, there is NO ONE SIZE THAT FITS ALL.  You might play devil's advocate LIKE:  Does this mean social interaction CAN'T help the LONELY?  Certainly NOT!  WHILE it's possible that certain types of social interactions are helpful WHEN we're LONELY, that DOESN'T happen most of the time.  Think about it.  ARE PEOPLE THE SOLUTION TO LONELINESS?  I'd say sometimes BUT NOT MOST OF THE TIME, dude😡😡😡