subject: Isolation And Loneliness-finding Your Way Back [print this page] Isolation and loneliness are only two of the most common conditions to plague humans in the present age. Despite seemingly "having it all" and enjoying a standard of living that was virtually unheard of only a couple of centuries ago, many people are crushingly lonely and perpetually depressed. It seems as if modern technology and super science has done little to free mankind from the twin curse of loneliness and isolation.
If you are one of those people for whom loneliness and isolation are constant parts of life, there is scant comfort in knowing that-ironically-you are not alone. Deep in the grip of loneliness and isolation, few people can take comfort in the lonely camaraderie in which they find themselves enmeshed. Nevertheless, the fact that so many people are intimately familiar with the intricacies of loneliness and isolation-and have managed to work their way out of it-should give you a measure of hope for your own circumstances.
One of the most interesting aspects of isolation and loneliness is that most people are unable to separate one from the other. Obviously, isolation is a common trigger of loneliness, and many people who would otherwise have no reason to be lonely only feel such emotions when they are placed into a situation wherein they are isolated from friends and or family. More interestingly however, people who are lonely often have no choice but to remain in isolation, even if companionship is the one thing that could pull them out of their misery. For such people, the pattern of isolation-loneliness becomes a vicious cycle from which there is no escape.
There are actually many courses of action one can take in order to break free from the isolation-loneliness pattern. These actions range from the trivial and almost insignificant to more complex treatment methods that may involve psychological intervention. The proper course of action to take depends from person-to-person, and it is largely determined by the extent and severity of the loneliness. In addition to-loneliness-isolation, other factors such as depression will also have to be taken into consideration when deciding on the appropriate action to take.
For the normal loneliness that one feels with the absence of a partner, it may be helpful to seek the company of other people. This is perhaps the quickest and easiest way to break free from the isolation-loneliness cycle, and it might be the only thing you will need to lighten your mood. However, ending isolation isn't always as easy as one would think. In many situations, the person suffering from loneliness has no choice in the matter, and only the return of the partner will bring the relationship back to normal.
People suffering from the loneliness-isolation cycle may benefit considerably from talking with others, whether it is a close friend or family member or a professional therapist. The primary risk in people suffering from loneliness is that the isolation may continue to feed the loneliness and vice-versa. When this happens, full blow depression may result.
