There’s a big difference between being alone and being lonely. The year 2020 has seen most of the world forced into solitude. Lockdowns and social distancing campaigns have driven us indoors and away from other people, and naturally, the majority of people are feeling the strain. Never in our lifetime have we been so exposed to loneliness. Yet, some people are thriving in the extra time alone with their thoughts. For them, the presence of people does not correlate with a positive emotional state. To that end, the absence of people does not correlate with a negative emotional state either.
As it turns out, some people are just less prone to feelings of loneliness. A recent study shows that time spent with other people is not the only way to feel like we belong. Humans have adapted over centuries to be able to feel fulfilment from non-traditional social, or unsocial, activities like being creative, using social media, playing video games, reading, meditating, bonding with a pet, listening to music or watching films. This comes in part as a result of many of us no longer being members of close, tight-knit communities that facilitate social interaction. In short, many of our needs are now being met without the direct influence of other people.
But what works for one person may not work for another. While some of us are perfectly happy flicking through Instagram or spending our days amongst books, it’s important to find out what makes us feel fulfilled when we’re alone. Once we know what keeps us content, it could prove very useful should we go back into social isolation in the future.