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What does it mean when you feel lonely all the time?

215 Answers
Last Updated: 05/22/2022 at 4:50am
What does it mean when you feel lonely all the time?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Penny Dahlen, Ed.D., LPC

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Top Rated Answers
SensitiveHelper03
September 12th, 2018 3:52pm
it means that you have the need oh attention which isn't a bad thing. it basically means that you feel neglected by your loved ones. to achieve this you must talk to friends and family at least get social by getting involved in various social activities such as comic con, prom, halloween and much more. this will help you connect with many people and will make you feel less lonely. try not to isolate your self by ignoring people around and try making new friends,and achieve goals this will build up your self esteem and will make you feel less lonely as everyone adores you
Anonymous
September 30th, 2018 2:04pm
The feelings of ongoing loneliness or pathological loneliness is a when we feel lonely all the time, it is a negative state that we are in that is marked by isolation and disconnectedness. When lonely we might feel that nothing seems to have any meaning in your lives. It feels that something is missing. This loneliness can be felt if we are amongst people or on our own. Carl Jung said the following: "Loneliness does not come from having no people about one, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to oneself, or from holding certain views which others find inadmissible".
Anonymous
December 15th, 2018 5:16pm
It’s means that you are in need of something, wether it’s a friend, time to yourself, or even a conversation. Sometimes it’s best to have time to reflect on yourself and what you need as a person. But to feel lonely is when you are suffering from not having someone to talk to and to be left with thought of not having someone to rely on. Worst case scenario is that a person may have depression. In that case it doesn’t hurt to talk to a professional :) never be afraid to talk to someone because everyone has delt with loneliness at some point in there life
Anonymous
December 23rd, 2018 10:30pm
It means you miss someone that had been there for you and is no longer around. So the loneliness may not go away for a time and you may feel lonely all the time because you don't have that warm company and support in your life anymore even if you never actively leaned on them or were not aware that you were. It may mean you need someone to talk with and share your thoughts with. If writing a diary or talking to people does not make it go away, you need to find a connection, someone that understands you. So, you need to reach out :)
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2019 6:26pm
Sometimes you can feel lonely even when you are surrounded by people. It's the feeling that you don't have anyone you think you can turn to or talk to. It is this empty feeling inside your stomach and you don't know what you can do about it. It can happen at any moment. Just know that there will always be someone who will listen to your problems, so that you aren't alone. You can talk to people online anonymously, talk to your friends and family or to people around you. It is a common feeling, you are not alone in feeling lonely. Just make sure you talk to someone about this feeling.
Anonymous
January 27th, 2019 7:17am
Feeling lonely doesn't sound a huge thing but the feeling inside a person is. For feeling lonely their aren't requirements of being alone in a place, people feel lonely standing between a group of 100 even sometimes laughing with their friends. The feeling is not something that can be shaked of. It causes hurt and tears flow away like anything. At such a time even a little gesture shows say of light in the most dark . And I always believe everything will be fine. No matter how dark it is right now there always be light to find .
Nimeihaoruchu
March 17th, 2019 9:54pm
What it means to feel lonely all the time is to feel like no one is there, that you are in an empty room. How people interpret specifics of loneliness and react to it can range from sadness to apathy and even anger in some cases. Personally when I’m lonely I feel like I can’t speak, or no one is listening. Other times I feel quite apathetic like I can’t empathize with people. While feeling lonely from time to time is natural, if you have extended periods of a lonely feeling or have feelings or thoughts of self harm I would seek medical attention or to talk to a trusted parent, guardian, or other adult.
Mary0000
April 17th, 2019 5:10pm
We often feel lonely. Certain events can lead to this feeling. You don't necessarily have to be alone to feel lonely. A lot of people have claimed that they have felt like this even when they are surrounded by others. It happened to me as well. And it's completely normal to feel like that. Being alone and being lonely is not the same thing. Although, I don't believe that any of us is alone, none of us is the only one. But technically, you are alone when you dont have good relationship with family, when you dont have any friends, when you dont have anyone at all to talk to. But you can feel 'loneliness' even if you are not 'alone'. Do you feel lonely all the time? It can mean that the people you are sorrounded by or the friend you have are not able to support you the way you need to be supported. Maybe you still havent found a friend that will always have time for you and will listen to you. If you may not know what led to this feeling, maybe it only means you need love and friendship at that period of time! It can be a symptom of some physiological or medical state as well. So if you feel incomplete or lonely often, try talking to someone about it. If you dont have someone like that near you, dont worry, you can find a lot of trained and active listeners on 7 cups!
OceanFox
April 25th, 2019 5:38pm
Feeling lonely all the time can be a very difficult experience. Please don’t think that something is wrong with you just because you feel lonely. It is a lot more common than you think and is a valid emotion. There are a few reasons why someone might feel lonely a majority of the time. First, you may have difficulty making deeper connections with people. Not everyone is an expert at making friends and that is okay. It just takes time and practice. You could try joining a club or signing up for an event that interests you so as to find other people with similar interests. Second, sometimes we feel lonely when we feel misunderstood. We could have hundreds of friends and still feel lonely if we feel like none of them understand what we’re feeling or experiencing. Talk to them. Whether it’s a friend, family member, teacher, or coworker, take a few minutes to express to the best of your ability how you are feeling and why. Once that person understands where you’re coming from, it will be easier to feel a deeper connection with them and therefore feel less alone. The third and last of the main reasons one might feel lonely (and there ARE more, I’m simply touching on the top three) is depression or other mental illness. When we feel depressed, sometimes nothing we experience feels satisfactory. Hanging out with friends can still leave us with this strange empty feeling. If you have supportive friends and/or family, you’ve explained how you feel until they’ve actually understood, and STILL feel lonely, it may be time to talk to a doctor or therapist about the possibility of depression or other mental illness. This can be a very serious condition and should be seen to as soon as possible so you can begin treatment and get on the path to better wellness. It is nothing to be ashamed of, as it is an increasingly common issue in society today. I even suffer from depression myself! But don’t let a diagnosis get you down. Knowing it’s there means knowing that it’s treatable and with the right combination of therapy and medicine, you could be feeling like a whole new happier person in due time.
Anonymous
May 5th, 2019 6:42am
I feel lonely most of the time. I think it has to do with the fact that I don't have a constant person whom I could go to if I am sad or confused or if I just want to vent. It's hard for me trust others so usually I do not open up to just anyone. I have good friends but everyone are busy with their own lives. This is a normal problem adults face but it's a pretty huge one at that. Human being need stimulating conversations and physical touch to be mentally satisfied. Sometimes life messes up people and make them afraid to go search or ask for these. I usually write journals to vent. But having a friend is much better than that and I try to make connections with people. But everyone are fundamentally alone and we have to learn to deal with it.
TakeMyHand13
June 21st, 2019 3:25pm
Humans are social animals. We need a lot of socialising, I.e physical contact, forming friendships and sharing our feelings with other people to feel happy. It is just part of nature. When we don't get enough socialisation we start to feel lonely, which can then lead to depression and other issues. If you're feeling lonely often then perhaps you need to reconnect with others or make a new friendship with someone? It will not go away by itself. Sometimes just chatting to someone online, via the phone or even cuddling with a pet can help to alleviate the feeling.
cl0verfield
July 12th, 2019 7:26pm
Feeling lonely all the time may be a side effect of depression (from my experience dealing with moderate to severe depression can be really isolating even when you are surrounded by people). It could also be that maybe your relationships or friendships may not be the healthiest. When I was in high school I had "friends" that I would hang out with everyday but still somehow I would feel lonely. When i started college I was still lonely no matter how many people I hung out with or who were around me. The most important thing to know is that there's nothing wrong with you. It's normal to feel lonely at times but when you feel lonely all the time it could be because your environment may not be the most healthy or maybe that it's just another stage in your life you have to go through.
Anonymous
July 17th, 2019 2:23am
You're not happy with yourself. Even if you're in a relationship or single -another person won't change how you feel. You need more than a number of friends, a number of romantic partners, or a marriage. You need to feel your life has meaning and purpose. Go out and discover your purpose. We go through life comparing ourselves to the movies, to the big screens, to Facebook and other social media. This isn't the truth behind happiness. A wise person once told me it must come from within. He was right. Go out there and find your purpose, your calling. Find what brings you excitement, what drives you to help others and bring excitement to their lives. Find your wings and soar.
gentleSun78
July 18th, 2019 8:48am
Being lonely all the time means that some of your needs aren't met. It can arise also when your self care isn't sufficient or you overburdened yourself. You can consider some more self care and cuddling yourself. Try to think about people who like you and disregard people who dislike or hurt you. Feeling of loneliness can also arise when you are bored and no one currently has time to hang out with you. You can consider to distract yourself with a hobby or relaxing activity (exercising, for example). Constant feeling of loneliness can also signal that you have got depression and you need professional counselling or psychiatrist.
calmingJewel2421
August 22nd, 2019 7:06pm
It most likely means that you do not connect to the people around you, maybe because of trust issues, or other issues. Maybe you don't fit in with the people you surround yourself with. In other cases it may just be that you are alone a lot of the time, which is not bad in any way, although being social is healthy, it is always better to stay alone than with people that are not good for you. Simple ways to deal with loneliness is to get to know new people, or simply take a walk around your town, explore new areas. Avoid getting stuck infront of the computer, or eating too much food, to cope.
Jezbr
August 28th, 2019 6:33am
Many of the times I have felt lonely was tied to how I saw myself compared to others. I would look at other people online or in real life having fun and many friends but I was stuck at home. My energy was usually low so I felt like I couldn't get out of the house. And I would assume that no one wanted to hang out with me because no one asked. But, then I asked someone to get a coffee with me. And they said yes. And it became clear that my energy would raise with just a walk outside. And as I am an extreme extravert, just sitting in a town square with people whilst drawing was great for not feeling lonely. But I understand that some seasons its even hard to get out of the house. Or to meet people. Sometimes we are isolated. I live 10,000km from my family. So its very easy to feel isolated. But there are people to talk to here on 7 cups. There are probably people in your city that want a new friend. And a few things can connect you quickly. Including augmented reality games like pokemon go, or learning a new language. I'm sorry you are feeling lonely. But proud that you are reaching out. Keep reaching. People are here for you.
ShooqA
December 14th, 2019 2:54am
The feeling of being completely isolated even when you're surrounded by millions... I may not have the knowledge of all things around me, however, I have dealt with feelings of extreme loneliness for the majority of my life; even before I understand exactly what loneliness means. Though many factors come into play, I personally believe it is best to seek professional help when feelings such as loneliness exist and affect your mood/behavior for a prolonged period of time. When I did finally see a psychologist after years of refusing to ask for help, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, which turned out to be the culprit behind my loneliness! I pray you find the answer to this painful curse. It truly hurts more than any physical wound I've known.
jaylynelora
December 21st, 2019 6:30am
Feeling lonely is a feeling everyone feels even the ones we look at as "perfect". It is a completely normal feeling we all go through, but to feel lonely all the time is not healthy. This feeling being all the time could mean you're not comfortable with yourself or others. Being comfortable with yourself is a start, self-love is important. Once you love yourself and are comfortable with yourself you will find yourself being comfortable with others as well. Improving your comfort with yourself will help comfort with others as well which will lead to you not feeling lonely anymore regarding your comfort with others and interacting with one another.
Anonymous
January 19th, 2020 11:02pm
It means you feel lonely chronically. It also means you need to do something about it. Disconnection from the rest of the population causes more mind problems than you think. Spend more time with your family and friends. If you are a hermit crab, you may need to put in the efforts to get out of your comfort zone. If you don't want to get out of your house and you don't talk with your family or friends. Try talking with strangers. Use social media to communicate with quality people. Find a project and do something that can improve your life and other people's lives.
Angell
February 7th, 2020 3:49am
It is better to answer some other questions first;- 1.Why do you think you are lonely? 2. Are you feeling alone or lonely particularly? 3. Why do you think that you feel that way? 4. Have you tried talking to anyone around you about that? 5. How is it affecting you? Now, to feel lonely all the time shows that you might not trust those around you and may feel that they don't understand you. it could also be that you are not able to share things with others and have someone hear you out or vice versa. other point to consider, you might feel that other people have many people or someone close to them while you don't feel so. If it is yes to more that 2 of the above things than that must be the reason why you feel lonely most of the time. I hope this was helpful.
Anonymous
February 14th, 2020 7:04am
Feeling lonely all the time means that you haven't learned to love yourself enough. In my experience, I found that I often felt that lonely feeling, that yearning for other's company, because I was not comfortable with my own. Through meditation, I was able to find solace in the silence. By letting go of my electronics, I learned how to love being alone with my own thoughts and not craving constant outside stimuli. However, though you may feel alone, and though learning how to get over that feeling is great, you should always know that there is someone out there who cares for you, or is going through similar things to you, so you're never really alone.
Anonymous
March 11th, 2020 10:01pm
Loneliness comes from a lack of personal connection. If you're wondering why you feel lonely despite any acquaintances or friends you have, it may be because you don't have a deep personal connection with them. If you don't have people you can trust and depend on, it often leaves you feeling adrift. Finding people you can really open up to and connect with can be difficult, but it is so important to have people who you know care about you. When you have people you know would do anything for you, it's much less likely for you to feel lonely. If you feel like you don't have anyone to anchor you and give you security, try to connect with people. True friends are one of life's greatest gifts.
claireee123
March 25th, 2020 1:28am
Feeling lonely is a part of life and it can even lead to amazing things. However, it is important to learn how to connect with others. If you are scared to reach out to people or intimidated to "make" people spend time with you, it is important to consider that everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. In order to minimize these feelings, reach out to someone. They may be feeling the same way you are and it is also a positive feeling to feel wanted by someone. Tell someone that you've been thinking of them lately and want to catch up.
Cjkrip
April 10th, 2020 4:42am
Well when you feel lonely it is different for every person. For some people ir can be a lack of joy or friendship in their lives, But for others it can just be the excitement you put yourself in. What I did when I felt lonely all the time was switch up my schedule. It sounds silly but it really helped me. Also, if you feel lonely you most likely will seem a bit sad, so friends won’t really reach out to you as much or at all. With friends you have to take the first step and ask them to do stuff. I hope this helps!
Anonymous
April 16th, 2020 8:52am
It means you are human. deep down we all feel lonely but we find ways to see past that . people who understand us can really make us feel better but it doesn't necessarily mean that it makes us complete. so if you feel lonely it means you are going through a time in your life that you need more help and support . this feeling will not last and that is a grantee . so reach for people , tell them how you feel and be honest .it might not change a lot but it will help a little.
Nigel86
May 16th, 2020 4:27pm
Unfortunately this means that you are lonely. Loneliness is subjective, so it matters not if you have many people around you or if you have no one around you it still means the same thing, you are missing a good connection with people, yes its OK to like or even love your friends and family, but a good connection could be with anyone. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking the soul mate has to be a lover or a partner, this is not always true. From an evolutionary prospective it is not good for us to feel lonely as we always function better as a society if we all stick together and help one another out.
Ashvillium
May 30th, 2020 5:52pm
If simply speaking, you are running out of work! Yeah, it might sound awkward, but that's the truth behind this question. There is an old saying that "an empty mind is the house of devil". What does the devil really means? Does it mean ghosts? NO. It means negativities. But yeah! Negativities can also be termed as ghosts, mostly because they both are scary and they both will put you down. You must have noticed that whenever you are having exams, or you are with your family, or you are any trip. You don't feel lonely there. Do you? I don't feel lonely ever in any family function too, because I have a lot of things to do. Even during my exams, I have a lot of things to study and I prefer being alone so that I can focus on my studies. But I never feel alone because I have a lot of things to do. Even the renowned scientists, namely Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, etc. they used to stay alone most of their times. Not because they were introverts, but because they had a lot of things to do with themselves. Hence if you are feeling alone most of the time, you seriously need to do some work and keep yourself busy in something.
Darksaviour04
June 21st, 2020 9:25am
When we think carefully we are not really alone, we have our thoughts, our brain that keeps us occupied which acts as another person who is putting questions, giving you points to dwell on. This feeling of loneliness comes and goes because we are social beings we feel the need to communicate our feelings and thoughts and if we do that with ourselves like writing it down and acknowledging ourselves as an individual the one we love and care about we will overcome the feeling. For eg. If you pamper yourself, listen to your thoughts and try to love yourself you will feel all you really need is YOURSELF
Anonymous
June 21st, 2020 5:32pm
I think, for me at least, it meant that I hand't talked to many people and held on to some relationships that weren't good for my mental health. After I broke away from them, it became much easier. It's probably the fact that your relationships may have grown stagnant or the people are inadvertently hurting you. The best way would be to have some sort of change and meet people or even talk out your loneliness. It helps when you talk about it with the people you know truly care about you. This is from my experience, however there may be more ways. These are just some of the most effective ones I have found.
Anonymous
June 27th, 2020 5:06pm
Because we feel disconnected from people all the time. It's quite common to feel disconnected when we don't get enough affection and understanding from family and friends. When we feel distant from people close to us we start to feel lonely. Often I used to feel like I am the only one alive in this world. To ease this heaviness peer support from alike minded people is what we need first. If we feel understood first, we can have longer conversations, a good laugh, or just feel a little less heavy, we start to feel connected. When we start to feel supported and understood our chest starts to unload and we can concentrate on finding more paths for our wellbeing. Hope you find a path feel a lot less heavy in your chest. Love.