Compare and Contrast Lonely to being Alone

If someone was to ask you if there was a difference in being lonely and being alone what would you say? Most people would say no, there is no difference between the two. There in fact is a huge difference between being lonely and being alone. The differences can be seen in your state of mind, your deep connections with peers, and your perception of isolation. One difference in being lonely and being alone is a person’s state of mind. A lonely person has a state of mind in which he or she believes they are unwanted. They may feel empty, and also crave human contact. One reason they crave human contact is because their state of mind prevents them from feeling confident. A lonely person may have low self-esteem and believe they are not worthy of attention from other people. In contrast, being alone is not a state of mind. Some people crave alone time. This does not mean that he or she has no friends or connections with others. Another big difference between being lonely and being alone is having connections with people. A lonely person may have trouble forming trust and chemistry with other people. For example, if a child is constantly moving states and schools, he or she may never get to form long relationships with peers. This might make them feel like they have no one to confide in. Being alone, however, is the complete opposite. An example of alone is having someone to confide in, but choosing not to do so. One such person may have plenty of friends to talk to and associate with, they just choose to be alone instead. One such person also has deep connections with people. Loneliness is not about being alone. Instead it is the perception of being isolated that matters. Despite being constantly surrounded by people, someone who lacks perception of isolation can still feel lonely. For example, someone could be in a crowded room full of their peers and feel lonely. Loneliness is not an external force, it is something one is lacking within themselves. Being