What's the difference? In order to really understand it, you have to experience it. A feeling of loneliness and being alone are similar concepts that have different meanings to them. You could feel like you have no one or nowhere to go to at a certain time, but you can also feel like there is nowhere you can ever go to. If you still don't understand what the distinction is, it will be explained further.
Being alone means that you are not in the presence or company of anyone. You are your own self in a moment. However, loneliness can happen at any time. Regardless if it's at school, with your friends, your family, or even with your spouse, you can always feel lonely. Feeling lonely is a characteristic of being alone.
As you believe that you were born into this world by yourself and that you are one, you develop thoughts that it will always be that way. People may find it hard to believe but they are not always alone. Sometimes, they can be in a wrong state of mind that triggers emotions like that or they truly believe they are alone. It is one of the biggest destructive feelings that there are, but now let's explore why people feel that way.
In general, all traces of loneliness can be identified as having low self-esteem, but people who are lonely believe there are no options for themselves. In a similar way to how low self-esteem and depression work, feeling lonely causes a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. Isolation and alienation are common traits of loneliness, but unlike the emotionally hurt people, people who are lonely know what their problem is, but they don't believe they can fix it.
Why don't they believe they can fix their feelings? It's because it takes a strong supporting cast of family, friends, peers, and loved ones to help build confidence and conquer those negative feelings. By simply trying to hamper the feelings of loneliness and isolation, it will not work but only put on a false mask of that person trying to hide how they really are. There is nothing wrong with expressing how you are all the time and it's healthy for the person suffering to show that they feel lonely in subtle ways.
One example of what I am talking about is when someone feels lonely, someone who is close to that person could spend more time with them. By doing that, it shows that there is someone that loves them and wants to spend time with them. I'm not suggesting that the person should bend over backwards for them, but to spend time with them, confidence and positive feelings build up. After a while, the feelings could start to diminish and they begin to feel like there are more people that would want to spend time with them.
Loneliness and being alone are key contributors to depression and low self-esteem. They may sound like they are the same, but when push comes to shove, they are completely different animals. There are ways to deal with, ways to minimize the feelings, but don't think that they are the same. To end this, let me ask you a question: did you read this article by yourself or with a group of your friends? Think about it.
