sadness and loneliness

Loneliness for longer periods can affect the individual and is often perceived as unpleasant, causing depression, isolation and seclusion, resulting in an inability to establish relationships with others. The symptoms of an imposed and prolonged solitude include anxiety, hallucinations, or even distortions of perception and time. However, while for many it is usually a cause of depression, for some people loneliness is not depressing.2 3

For example, monks see it as a form of spiritual enlightenment. There are also philosophers who, in addition to recommending leading a quiet and solitary life, see solitude as a way to achieve excellence. An example of this is Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher who was admired by Jorge Luis Borges, who maintained that "loneliness is the fate of all excellent spirits." 4 There are also psychologists and psychiatrists who recommend taking advantage of and enjoying the moments of loneliness, because "it allows us to discover ourselves and realize who we are and what we want" 5

An individual can seek physical solitude to eliminate distractions and concentrate or meditate more easily.6 Even so, it is not the end in itself, and once enough ability is reached to ignore distractions, people become less sensitive to them and You can maintain your concentration. There are highly trained people (such as Buddhist monks) who can achieve higher levels of concentration despite external circumstances. Such people do not want interaction with the physical world: their attention is only their own world.

The new technologies connect us and socialize but distract us and prevent the concentration and mental rest that is required to assimilate contents, plan, create and include reading in depth. In that sense, loneliness is also necessary for a series of mental processes necessary for personal balance.7