Is it worth fearing loneliness?

Often, loneliness, regardless of its origin, evokes unpleasant feelings in a person. It can be anxiety, fear, sadness, and the like. But first, let’s clarify the concept of loneliness. Primarily, it is the absence of a partner or family. This can also include the lack of friends. Let’s pose the question: is it worth completely filling one’s life with close people in today’s world?

Society may dictate the stereotype that loneliness distorts “normal” life. However, in reality, it is not at all bad. It’s worth learning not to fixate on other people but to listen to oneself, rejoice in one’s achievements, focus on personal development, and find peace. In fact, living and spending time alone is better than being with someone just for the sake of it. Personal space, comfort, and health are more valuable than simply being in proximity to someone.

Loneliness provides the opportunity to take maximum care of oneself. When there are people around for whom we are responsible (family, a partner, friends), some portion of our attention is directed towards them. Yes, of course, this can also bring satisfaction, especially when close people mutually care for us. But now we are specifically discussing the advantages of solitude. In other words, taking responsibility only for oneself is much simpler and less psychologically taxing.

If you believe that loneliness is simply due to boredom, then it’s more of egotism. Such individuals are usually accustomed to taking but not proficient at giving. Therefore, we won’t consider this phenomenon as true loneliness.

The fear of making independent choices can be termed as loneliness. However, it’s more of a negative quality that needs to be eradicated, and one should learn to be self-sufficient and independent.

The sole downside of loneliness is the lack of support or assistance when needed. Hence, my subjective recommendation is to fill your life with people to the extent that there is enough personal space for comfort, and there is a sense that there are those who will provide support when necessary.

There’s no need to fear and worry about loneliness itself being bad. On the contrary, it’s an opportunity to get to know oneself, a kind of absolute freedom in a sense.