subject: Loneliness In Men-what It Is And What You Can Do About It [print this page] When bringing up the subject of loneliness, men aren't often the focus of discussion. Loneliness and other emotional concerns are more often seen as "women's concerns" although men do feel the emotion to varying degrees as well. Just as it is with women, loneliness can strike men when it is least expected. A sudden twinge of loneliness may be felt when recalling a tragic memory for instance, or it may be a constant factor in a long period of depression. Suffice it to say that for men, loneliness results in a similar range and depth of emotional reactions as in women.
Loneliness is described as sadness or dejection felt in the absence of companionship or when the person is in isolation. For most women and men, loneliness occurs when they are alone, although this isn't always the case. Feeling loneliness when you are in the middle of a crowd or in the company of several people is a common occurrence, and men and loneliness are often associated with each other in prison or in the military. In such cases of loneliness, men are reacting more to the lack of quality companionship rather than the number of people around them.
The most common prescription for loneliness in men is to go out and meet people. This could involve meeting up with old friends or people you already know, or you could get to know new people. This advice could actually be effective to a remarkable degree, since most cases of loneliness in men are temporary in nature, and can easily be dispelled by companionship.
However, there are men for whom loneliness cannot be solved simply by hanging out with people or engaging in social interaction. Most men are under a lot of pressure to conform to societal expectations. They always have to be strong, firm in resolve and resilient along with many other "manly" qualities. There is also the pressure to attain a certain level of achievement or success, and all these factors can cause a great deal of stress and/or depression. When this happens in certain predisposed men, loneliness may be the inevitable result.
It isn't quite so easy to prescribe a loneliness solution for such cases, since the factors may very from person to person. Since such loneliness may be tied in with many other emotional and mental factors, the best course of action may be to seek professional counseling. This will help provide some perspective on the loneliness that men feel when they find society's expectations too burdensome for them to deal with on their own.
Long term loneliness may also occur in the wake of more tragic circumstances, such as the death of a friend or family member. If you perceive this type of loneliness in men you know, it would be helpful to devote some time to them during the grieving process. Although some degree of loneliness is to be expected under such circumstances, any loneliness or depression that goes on for too long should be addressed with professional counseling and more intensive family intervention.
