Solitude • Solitude is typically something we choose for ourselves • In solitude, we make time to be with ourselves and to discover who we are • Solitude provides an opportunity for renewal • Through solitude we are able to examine our lives and gain a sense of perspective Loneliness • Often results from certain events in life such as: – Death of someone we love – The decision to leave a secure job for an unknown one – Moving to a new city – A long stay in a hospital • An experience of feeling set apart from others • Can indicate that we’ve failed to listen to our inner voice Types of Loneliness • Transient loneliness – Brief feelings of loneliness when there is a disruption in one’s social network • Chronic loneliness – When people are unable to establish meaningful interpersonal relationships over a long period of time Types of Loneliness • Everyday loneliness – The pain of being isolated from other people, which may be related to fears of intimacy, rejection, or shame • Existential loneliness – A profound sense of an unbridgeable gap that separates us from others, which is related to our awareness that each of us inhabits a world fully known only to ourselves Ways People Attempt to Escape from Facing Loneliness • Living an overscheduled life • Striving for perfect control of the • • • • • environment Surrounding ourselves with people Becoming a slave to routine Numbing ourselves with alcohol or drugs Eating for emotional reasons Spending many hours on the computer, watching T.V., playing video games Some Consequences of Shyness • Can make it difficult to communicate effectively and express oneself • Often holds people back from meeting new people • May result in feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness • Can hold people back in the progression of their educations or careers • Leads some individuals to develop a dependency on alcohol as a way to feel more relaxed and sociable Loneliness and the Life Stages • CHILDHOOD – Loneliness is an inevitable part of life beginning in childhood – Reliving childhood experiences of loneliness can help adults come to grips with their present fears about being alone or lonely • ADOLESCENCE – Bodily changes, one’s search for identity, and the need to be accepted and liked may compound an adolescent’s feelings of loneliness – The price of nonconformity may be steep; Adolescents may feel all alone in the world Loneliness and the Life Stages • YOUNG ADULTHOOD – How young adults come to terms with their own aloneness effects the choices they make—choices that, in turn, may determine the course of their lives – Life circumstances and cultural factors also pave the way to a lonely existence • MIDDLE AGE – Changes at midlife such as children leaving the nest can lead to feelings of emptiness and loss – Feeling dissatisfied with one’s career or life choices can exacerbate loneliness Loneliness and the Life Stages • THE LATER YEARS – In a society that prizes productivity, youth, beauty, power, and vitality, older adults may feel they are not needed or valued anymore – Loneliness of the later years can be accentuated by the losses that come with age: • Loss of bodily functions • Loss of career or jobs • Loss of certain hobbies • Loss of friends and loved ones
Purchase answer to see full attachment