Spreading the Word: Feeling Lonely When Not Alone

Loneliness is a vulnerability we all, as human beings, are exposed to. While there are different ways each of us experiences loneliness, what we all share is the risk of feeling lonely. Perhaps it is an unavoidable risk, as much as we might want to escape it. But loneliness is not a single kind of feeling. It is complex, layered, nuanced, multifaceted.

I can feel lonely when I am alone for a longer period of time than what is comfortable for me. Then again, I can feel very lonely in a crowd of thousands, in the middle of a city of millions. However, there is another kind of loneliness that can feel especially painful – the sense of loneliness when not alone, while being in close, caring, loving relationships. How is it possible and what does this kind of loneliness mean?

“Just as one can feel lonely in a room full of strangers, one can feel lonely in a room full of friends”

_{Kaitlyn Creasy}

Today I share an article on this particular kind of loneliness. What can philosophy tell us about it? The author of the article is Kaitlyn Creasy, an associate professor of philosophy at California State University, San Bernardino. Enjoy!

Link to the article: Loved, yet lonely

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_{Featured image credit: Photo by Jack Sparrow from Pexels}