Surrounded by People but Feeling Lonely
Loneliness is an inner feeling of isolation. It is quite ironic to have people around you yet the feeling of loneliness overshadows you. There are people who have friends and yet they are lonely, others have companions in their relationships and yet they are overshadowed by loneliness. There are three articles that try to explain the reason behind loneliness when you are in the midst of other people.
Smith, Judith M. “Portraits of loneliness: emerging themes among community-dwelling older adults.” Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services 50.4 (2012): 34-39.
In this article, Judith Smith argues that loneliness is a social isolation without choice (35). Elaborating on the difference between aloneness and loneliness, she elaborates that “aloneness is social isolation by choice” (35). It is possible for a person to be in the midst of others and yet have a feeling of loneliness. According to the author, “loneliness tends to increase with age” (35). The old people are more prone to loneliness because of increased disabilities and deteriorating social integration that face them. The author cites sources on loneliness (37-38). The purpose of this article is to explore the causes of solitude in older adults and to illustrate their daily practices in living with loneliness.
Meltzer, Howard, et al. “Feelings of loneliness among adults with mental disorder.” Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology 48.1 (2013): 5-13.
In this article, six authors; Meltzer, Bebbington, Dennis, Jenkins, McManus and Brugha have collaborated and made clear outlines that expounds on loneliness associated with people who have mental disorders. In most cases, a certain group is socially isolated by other members of the society hence ending up in loneliness. In this article, loneliness is viewed as “a feeling of somehow being removed or dissociated from the world and the people in it” (6). As elaborated in the article, particular groups of people are more prone to this feeling than other groups (6). Example of one of the groups that is more prone to this feeling is the adults with mental disorder and also the old people (7). In an argument from the article, the authors assert that loneliness should command clinical attention. It should not be assumed as just a feeling because it may lead to other dangerous implications. Normally, in advanced stage, loneliness may lead to depression and in most cases; it is related to mortality and suicide (7-10). The writers in this article emphasize the need of creating a rewarding relationship with all groups of people.
Lasgaard, Mathias, Luc Goossens, and Ask Elklit. “Loneliness, depressive symptomatology, and suicide ideation in adolescence: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.” Journal of abnormal child psychology 39.1 (2011): 137-150.
In this article Lasgaard, Goossens, and Elklit argues that the initiation and maintenance of social relationships are important to life satisfaction, and numerous studies have indicated that loneliness is associated with symptoms of poor mental health such as depression (137). Rewarding social relationships are recommended in this article as one way of curbing loneliness. Every person should have a concern for the other person and should strive to fulfill the social duty of encouraging and relating with others (138). The authors in this article point out that in the stages of human development some stages like adolescence demand a lot of attention. If little attention is shown to the adolescent, there are bond to break into loneliness and consequently depression symptoms may manifest (146-148). This article is aimed at expressing the loneliness that is faced by the adolescent in many areas. It intends to convince the audience on the need of considering the feeling of the adolescent so as to ensure that loneliness does not overshadow them and lead them into paths of depression. Many suicides among the adolescent are cause by loneliness, a moment when adolescents lose touch with the people and opt to do away with life (149).
Works Cited
Smith, Judith M. “Portraits of loneliness: emerging themes among community-dwelling older adults.” Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services 50.4 (2012): 34-39.
Meltzer, Howard, et al. “Feelings of loneliness among adults with mental disorder.” Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology 48.1 (2013): 5-13.
Lasgaard, Mathias, Luc Goossens, and Ask Elklit. “Loneliness, depressive symptomatology, and suicide ideation in adolescence: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses.” Journal of abnormal child psychology 39.1 (2011): 137-150.