Editing How to Accept Loneliness (section)

== Understanding Loneliness: Causes and Impact ==
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(Pema Chödrön’s Six Kinds of Loneliness) ''Figure: “Loneliness” (1880) by Hans Thoma. A 19th-century depiction of isolation’s weight – a lone individual curled up on a barren rock. Loneliness is a subjective feeling of being isolated or disconnected, which can occur even if people are physically around us.'' Loneliness has been defined by psychologists as ''“the discrepancy between one’s desired and actual social connection”'' (Coping With Loneliness (Part 1): Look Inward | USU). In other words, it’s the gap between how much closeness or companionship you '''want''' and what you actually have. This gap can arise for many reasons – you might have lost a relationship or loved one, moved to a new place, experienced social rejection or marginalization, or be facing health or mental health challenges that make connecting difficult (Coping With Loneliness (Part 1): Look Inward | USU). Sometimes the feeling is acute after a major life change; other times it’s a chronic sense of being unseen or not understood. Researchers note that loneliness can take different forms, such as '''intimate loneliness''' (lacking a close confidant), '''relational loneliness''' (lacking friendships or family ties), or '''collective loneliness''' (lacking a sense of community or group belonging) (Coping With Loneliness (Part 1): Look Inward | USU). Recognizing what type of loneliness you feel can be a first step in addressing it – whether you miss one special connection or a network of support.

It’s important to remember that '''loneliness is not the same as simply being alone'''. Loneliness is a distressing ''subjective'' experience – the pain of feeling isolated – whereas being alone (often termed ''social isolation'') is an ''objective'' state of having few people around (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation). You can feel deeply lonely in a crowd, or feel perfectly content in solitude. This subjective nature means our mindset matters greatly: two people with the same situation can feel differently based on how they interpret being alone. When loneliness is persistent and unresolved, it can take a toll on our well-being. Emotionally, chronic loneliness often feeds sadness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and can even lead to depression (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation). The stress of loneliness triggers our brain’s threat response – we may feel tense and hyper-vigilant or, conversely, numb and exhausted. Over time, this stress can impact the body as well. Studies have found that a lack of social connection carries serious health risks – '''long-term loneliness has been linked to higher risks of heart disease and stroke, and can increase the risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day''' (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation) (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation). In older adults, loneliness is associated with cognitive decline and dementia (Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation). These findings highlight that loneliness isn’t a trivial inconvenience but a significant factor in mental and physical health. Knowing this, it becomes even more important to find healthy ways to cope with and ultimately ''accept'' loneliness. The encouraging news is that by understanding the psychology of loneliness and approaching it with the right strategies, you can alleviate much of its sting and build resilience against it.