A majority of people realize the fact that there are several consequences to being lonely for too long.
Some relate it to being confidently alone while the others relate it to disabling effects. Being lonely and being alone are two different concepts. While alone describes a state of being; lonely describes the state of mind. One is physical, the other is mental. Yet the two settle on some common grounds leading to common consequences. Therefore we discuss a few positives and a few negatives of being aloof for a longer time!
#1. You feel empty or scooped out! - Negative
When you are in isolation for too long, things become dark, depressive and you tend to lose the flame within. Gradually you start feeling empty. You behave in a way the world expect but succumb to your inner self. You may not realize but at the end, something goes missing!
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#2. Medical Consequences- Negative
Under extreme loneliness, medical consequences have also been documented leading to depression, heart diseases, Alzheimer, suicidal tendencies and panic attacks etc. Being alone simply impacts the entire ability of a person to cope up with his/ her survival. Human beings are social animals and not socializing makes them worthless!
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#3. Gain a sense of independence and responsibility- Positive
When you don't have a shoulder to lean or cry, subconsciously you develop to become more responsible & mature. Either you get independent or you become fiercely independent. This means, gradually you move from falling sick and taking care of your own to even going for dinners and watching movies all by yourself!
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#4. You proceed carefully!- Positive
Upon knowing that everything needs to be done all by yourself you get more cautious of your surroundings. With time you master the skill of tackling even the wackiest situations. You carefully observe things and patterns happening around.
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#5. Unable to fit in- Negative
Not getting along with people tends to make you excessively introvert in nature. This, in turn, takes off your ability to break the ice and cross those boundaries of loneliness. Gradually, it makes you think that you are a misfit amongst the rest of the crowd which later on prevents you from meeting new people or joining the existing ones.
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#6. Rejected by others- Negative
There begins a chain of repeated rejection and/or abuse by family members or friends. Loners are gradually abandoned by others, made fun of or even tortured with offensive language. It gives rise to a kind of psychological assault that becomes a reason for depression! It induces the person to even more distance himself from the community!
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#7. You pursue passions/hobbies- Positive
Now that the time needs to be killed somehow, you start to read, write, cook, watch, say, listen, think and start doing stuff. Do stuff a lot! It can be a passion or just a hobby, but it's a better way of spending time well! On the negative side, you start over analyzing every circumstance that life throws at you!
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#8. Promotes self-discovery- Positive
Subsisting alone presents you with the perfect solitary environment that aids in discovering more about our own self. Weakness, strength, ambition, motivation, behavioral pattern- everything comes to the recognition without any diversions. It essentially gives us the time to focus on self and develop introspective abilities. Doesn't that ultimately better our personalities?
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#9. It reduces the life expectancy- Negative
Loneliness is often regarded as a temporary phase orfeeling but it definitely can be fatal. Therefore, people living absolutely unaccompanied are more prone to premature death and this can be caused due to several mental and emotional issues.
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#10. Sleep deprivation- Negative
Even minute differences in life can affect our sleeping patterns. Loneliness actually destroys out quality as well as efficiency to sleep making it less restorative. Such people spend more time being awake at night and lesser in bed.
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#11. You become strong and confident- Positive
In order to attract and interact with people, you really need to work on your self-esteem and confidence levels. The way to do so other than socializing is to stay alone and analyze how to go about it. Don’t allow people to hamper your confidence! This way you'll gain self-awareness, be more strong & confident and will be able to spend time on your own!
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There's a thin line between being lonely and being alone. You need to recognize the difference and work on it accordingly! Let us know through the comments below what do you think about it. We would love to hear from you.
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