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Alone Or Lonliness
And To Each, His Own
The interesting thing about being alone is that some people thrive, while others pine away. Loneliness and being socially isolated pose certain risks for older adults in particular. Studies have indicated that loneliness can put a significant amount of these people at risk for dementia and even other grave medical conditions. Premature death from all causes can be attributed also to older adults being solo.
Reports also indicate that nearly ¼ of adults aged 65 and older qualify as being labeled socially isolated. Older adults can be in a more precarious position because of the estrangement of children and the loss of friends as their companions die more frequently as the years go by.
Dictionary.com defines: Loneliness — sadness because one has no friends or company.
Social Isolation — the lack of social contacts and having few people to interact with regularly.
Loneliness serves as a baseline for increased rates of depression, anxiety, and in worst-case scenarios — suicide. The flip side of all this is the people who choose to be alone. Some social scientists have stated that alone time can be good for creativity, self-insight, relaxation, self-development, and spirituality.
I suppose, whether we are young or old, we fall somewhere on the spectrum of being alone and healthy or being alone and lonely with the consequences.
