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What is the difference between isolation and loneliness?

305 Answers
Last Updated: 08/30/2021 at 7:36pm
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Top Rated Answers
firecrackersintheeast
December 28th, 2019 1:38am
It seems to me that isolation is an act, and loneliness is an emotion. The act of isolation is often seen as a coping mechanism, but more often than not I think it's more of a symptom. That is, we don't isolate ourselves because we think it will make ourselves feel better. The desire to isolate ourselves is part of depression and other mental health problems, and it makes us feel even lonelier! Loneliness can happen with or without isolation. We can be in a crowded room and still feel lonely. That is, isolation causes loneliness but it's not the ONLY thing that can cause loneliness.
Sagettarius
January 9th, 2020 9:18am
I think that the difference between isolation and loneliness is quite subtle. In both situations, you are on your own, whether that's physically or mentally. However, isolation may well be a state that you have chosen consciously. You may feel that you need to remove yourself from the daily hubbub or a particular situation that is bugging you. So ultimately it can be something you chose. Loneliness is a very different animal. You can be achingly lonely in a crowded room or at a family gathering. People usually think of loneliness as being alone, but it's not at al the same thing. Loneliness often stems from a feeling of being misunderstood or being an outsider for one reason or another. It's not a conscious choice, rather a state that requires you to make a conscious decision to change.
Anonymous
January 22nd, 2020 1:08pm
Well I'd say that lonrliness is feeling. You feel like you don't have anyone to spend time with or to trust. You can feel empty and anxious. You feel like you are alone and there isn't anyone around you. Isolation on the other side is something that can cause loneliness and other troubles. You can be isolated by others, when they don't talk to you, ignores you or just pretend you don't exist. You can also isolate yourself, conciously or unconciously. You may stop attending social events, stop talking to friends or get really reserved and closed up. When that happens it's important to try change that. Loneliness coming wit isolation or without it is painful problem and I'm sorry if you feel that way but it can be better and it will.
Anonymous
February 14th, 2020 7:04pm
It is a good question. According to Merriam-Webster, isolation is "the action of isolating; the condition of being isolated". In Collins Dictionary, you can find the definition of lonelessness as "Loneliness is the unhappiness that is felt by someone because they do not have any friends or do not have anyone to talk to." Isolation is an action/condition and loneliness is a feeling. For various reasons, people end in the isolation condition. They may find lonely. The quickest way to get out of the loneliness state of mind is through seeking connections with others. Talk with others, friends, family, even listeners on 7 Cups.
mysteriousMist1323
February 19th, 2020 4:18pm
Isolation refers to not having access to meet any one for the outer world where as loneliness refers to the feeling where though the person being surrounding by thousands of people feel that there is no one who is concerned about their feelings and there sadness. A person in loneliness don't have a person to share his feelings and listen to his thoughts. Where as a person in isolation is deprived of contact with any other person. That is the main difference isolation and loneliness. But person with isolation can feel lonely due to lack of people to share his thoughts.
Paprika7
February 26th, 2020 9:02pm
These two may be linked, but they definitely aren't the same! Loneliness is classified as an emotional state, or perhaps a feeling. It is often described as feeling alone or separated. Meanwhile, isolation is being separated from your environment and other people. This can be something that occurs through your own decision, but it may also be something that happens because of circumstances. These two are definitely linked, however, and one may lead to another. Reasons people may feel lonely or like they're isolated can be similar and the same, such as geographical location or living alone, for example.
Wrangler501
March 21st, 2020 10:59pm
Isolation is a willingness to take a break from the world for refreshing and to gather ones well being and mental health. Loneliness however, is a feeling of being isolated from others and feeling like one has no control over that state of being. There is an epidemic in our world today of people who are lonely. The key however to overcome this situation is to look out beyond ones self by reaching out to others. Get involved in a club, group, or church. Volunteer. Once someone does this, not only are they helping others, but they are also helping themselves.
Ahnastaesia
March 26th, 2020 12:34pm
Isolation is when you’re choosing to cut everyone off, to stay away from the outside world, to be alone without wishing to seek comfort of others. People also isolate themselves to try and deal with problems and assess/process them on their own. Loneliness is when you truly feel alone, it could be when you’re trying to reach out to others, trying to hang out and communicate with them and you just don’t feel wanted or they don’t really engage. Loneliness can come from anywhere, people a lot of times feel alone in the world. I know i’ve felt alone before, but remember that there is ALWAYS someone out there who WILL be there for YOU! Don’t be shy to try to reach out to someone!
MulberryMuffin
March 27th, 2020 6:53pm
Isolation means distancing. Loneliness is a negative emotion. You feel miserable when lonely. You could or could not feel bad while isolation. Isolation could be by conscious choice but not loneliness. If I am lonely, I will seek comfort . I will try to not stay in this feeling. I will try to talk to somebody or distract myself. I will try to make myself feel better. I will try to evade that feeling. Isolation could be a conscious decision or imposed. Both ways it means staying away from people. In general sense it means physical distancing. Although it could also be mental distancing.
MLHG
March 28th, 2020 9:00pm
Isolation is a lack of sufficient contact, and can be self-imposed. Loneliness is feeling as if one lacks that sufficient contact, even if they are trying to end it. Loneliness and isolation are not mutually exclusive, but they are not tied together either. It is possible for one to be isolated and not consciously feel lonely, though that is generally a bad thing, and so too is it possible to feel lonely without being isolated. Ending isolation usually takes more pushing of oneself socially, while ending loneliness seems to require a shift in your view of your life, though in cases where loneliness and isolation exist, ending isolation must come before ending loneliness. Depending on who you are and where you are in life, ending isolation can be easier or harder than ending loneliness, as some people exist in isolation without feeling negative effects from it, while others feel crushing loneliness even while not being in isolation. As with anything inherent to a human being, it varies from person to person.
Luminous1806
April 3rd, 2020 3:34pm
I find that alone or isolated and lonely to be hugely different. While you can be alone and yet still feel loved and support, it makes a person comfortable with themselves in whatever surrounding they are in. They will always find activities that can help them grow. They accept themselves for their strengths and weaknesses and can be alone and still be happy. On the other hand, I have seen individuals in a room full of people and who are completely lonely. One who is lonely does not feel as if they have support nor do they feel loved by others and most importantly from themselves due to this, they have no sense of belonging and forgetting that no man is an island.
CaptainBoost
April 4th, 2020 3:37pm
Isolation is when you are left alone with no one around you like being left in the home alone or being locked up in a room. Loneliness is when you feel abandoned and no one's standing by your side or even having no friends. Feeling lonely could result from having no one by your side or having even no friend supporting you or even talking to you at all. You could be isolated but not lonely and you could be lonely but not isolated. Like sitting on a bench in break time at school having no one to talk to or even to play with while isolation is just leaving you alone without anyone around you but you could be isolated but not lonely. For example, you could be locked up in a room but your friends send you letters through the window perhaps.
GuardianRose12
April 4th, 2020 10:42pm
Isolation is where you put in a situation where you are restricted to where you can go and do certain activities normally got stay at place ie home or accommodation , loneliness is where you feel you are alone and don't have anyone to talk to, you can feel loneliness when you have a lot of people around you too, people who are in icolating can also feel loneliness if they are by themselves and feel no one to talk to its important to have someone to talk to regardless the reason why you feel lonely or in isolation
Anonymous
April 5th, 2020 5:29pm
Loneliness is a feeling that can creep up on you in any situation and at any time, not only when you are alone. You may feel lonely in a crowded room if you do not feel a strong personal connection to any people you are with. On the other hand, people in isolation are not necessarily lonely. Despite not physically being present, people are able to keep in touch with friends and other important people in their lives to prevent feelings of loneliness. For many, isolation and loneliness are very connected, but this is not always the case for everybody.
OkJules
April 15th, 2020 10:34am
Isolation is simply the state of being by oneself, while loneliness refers to the pain of feeling alone and separate from others. Isolation can be a positive experience as much as it can be a negative one; spending time with yourself can be a great way to recharge your social battery or reflect on your own life and experiences without the noise or potentially overwhelming presence of others, though it can also feel lonely and painful in other situations. The feeling of loneliness can occur when you're in a crowded room of friends and loved ones just as likely as it can when you're in isolation. Though this feeling of being alone in your experiences and feeling like others cannot connect to what you're going through can be very difficult, it can also be a great opportunity to reflect on why you're feeling this way and possibly what you can change in your life or your perception of life to feel less lonely.
luxvision
April 19th, 2020 3:22pm
Loneliness is a feeling of sadness or distress about being by yourself or feeling disconnected from the world around you. It may be felt more over a long period of time. It is also possible to feel lonely, even when surrounded by people. Isolation is being separated from other people and your environment. Sometimes this occurs through decisions we make ourselves, or because of circumstance e.g. doing a job that requires travel or relocation, Everyone feels lonely from time to time, but long periods of loneliness or social isolation can have a negative impact on your physical, mental and social health.
Anonymous
April 21st, 2020 9:22pm
Isolation can have many negative emotional effects, including increased sadness, restlessness, and loneliness. While isolation can cause loneliness, the two don’t always occur together. People may find themselves socially isolated regularly as a side effect of an isolating mental health issue such as social anxiety or agoraphobia. For example, someone with agoraphobia may feel too anxious to leave their house on some days. Loneliness, on the other hand, is an emotional state. It’s defined as feeling alone or separate from others, or as feeling empty. Loneliness may accompany social isolation but can be caused by other things, including breakups or divorce, moving to a new location, or the death of a close friend or loved one. Someone who has difficulty making friends may also experience frequent loneliness. In the case of mental health, loneliness can accompany depression, anxiety, and many addictions and phobias.
barrybrontosaurus55
April 24th, 2020 12:14am
Isolation is being by yourself, physically, whether it’s being alone in your bedroom often or stuck in a single place for a period of time. Loneliness is more mental, but if you are isolated you can be lonely too. You can be in a room full of people that love you and still feel lonely. Lonely is feeling misunderstood, like nobody gets what you’re going through. Isolation can be lonely but I think of lonely as more of feeling alone in subject of a struggle and not knowing what to do or who to go to in that situation.
MacK16
April 26th, 2020 7:11pm
Isolation can be either be forced or a choice. Introverts, for example, or more so isolated by choice. Socially isolated. Loneliness is being sad or upset about being socially isolated. So, the main difference between the two, then, loneliness is an emotional states. It's feeling alone and separated from others. Loneliness is feeling alone, which isolation is being physically alone. So, for a summary, isolation is the physical thing, and although isolation can cause negative feelings, such as loneliness, they don't ALWAYS go hand and hand. And also since loneliness is a state of mind, it's easy to feel alone is a crowded room of people. No matter how many people are around, you still can feel lonely.
Pattuz
April 26th, 2020 8:23pm
To put it in simple terms, Loneliness is a feeling where you feel 'you have no around you'. Whereas isolation is a sense of feeling where you feel like 'you don't want anyone around you' or 'nobody wants me around with them'. Acting on such a feeling and staying away from people can be said as isolation. Loneliness is a feeling or emotion that you experience when no one's around whereas isolation is an action triggered by an emotion. For isolation, a decision has to be made by you. But for loneliness, it just eventually happens. Hope this has helped. Take care.
Anonymous
April 26th, 2020 10:55pm
Isolation is physically distancing yourself from others. It is like not meeting anyone, or just not being in contact with people in general. Right now, for example, I am isolated from others due to the coronavirus pandemic. But that doesn't mean that I feel lonely. Loneliness is not physical - it is a mental state. It doesn't matter if you are surrounded by a hundred people - you can still feel lonely. Loneliness is the mental state where you feel alone and empty. When you are lonely, you are unable to connect with others. Loneliness may cause isolation; isolation may cause loneliness. But they are NOT the same.
Wolfforlife
May 9th, 2020 10:56am
The differences of isolation and loneliness is that when you isolate youself it is distancing yourself from others and having someone to talk to but not wanting to talk for sometime like taking a break and coming back when your better to talk while loneliness is having a feeling of left out or having the feeling of not having someone to talk to at all when you need someone and feeling sad about it having the thought that no one is there for you if your feeling lonely you have 7cups there's listeners and if you feel like you want to isolate yourself then take a deep breathe in relax and mediate
TinoE
May 22nd, 2020 4:58am
Isolation is when a person has little or no contact with other people whereas loneliness is defined as feeling alone or separate from others or may be feeling empty inside. There are some cases in which isolation can lead to loneliness. Sometimes not being around others for long periods of time can make people feel intensely alone. For example, if someone works from home, they may spend all day alone in their house without much social contact, in which case they may experience feelings of loneliness. With Social Isolation, it can be characterised by a person avoiding social situations or refusing interpersonal interactions.
ssruthi12
June 4th, 2020 4:30pm
Isolation is a physical state of being, whereas loneliness is an emotional state that can often be associated with isolation. Isolation is the physical act of being separated or having a boundary up. You are alone. Loneliness is how people often feel when they can not relate to anyone or feel that they can not receive empathy from anyone. It is a different take on being alone- while there may not be any physical barrier, there is a mental block that is obstructing an individual from relating or being around others. Both are associated with each other- together, a person feels cut off from the rest of the world.
4Runnning44AspiringJD
June 6th, 2020 4:00am
Loneliness is a state of being or mindset, whereas isolation is a product of consistent and constant loneliness where it can become mental, physical, psychological, and sexual. I used to get these two considerably wrong and act as if they are synonyms. They can be but they are not the same. It is healthy to feel lonely. In my opinion, it is not healthy to isolate especially due to loneliness. Evenmore, for someone that has addiction tendencies or negative connotations for their reasons. Isolation can also be healthy but is less likely and usually isolation is a chunk of time that connotes negativity but if one can utilize a isolation for positivity and get in and out it can be a good thing. Hopefully that makes sense
colorfulSunshine777
June 21st, 2020 5:20am
Isolation is having less contact with people around you. Loneliness is more of a feeling that you are alone and on your own. You can be isolated and still not feel lonely. Loneliness is- there are so many people around you yet, you feel lonely. One can be isolated in many ways such as avoiding social situations or avoid from talking or texting someone or meeting someone face to face. Isolation can be both in direct and indirect ways which simply is avoiding any contact with people. Isolation is a choice of the person to make. Whereas, loneliness I an emotional state where you think or feel that you are alone and there is no one for you to care or love even though there are people around you. Loneliness can be felt due to breakup, divorce and so many.. Isolation can lead to loneliness or both can happen simultaneously. But both are dangerous in any level.
gentleSun78
June 26th, 2020 8:09am
Isolation is when you isolate yourself from other people physically (including no telecommunication of any kind with people). Loneliness is when you feel unfulfilled in relationships of any kind (relationship with spouse, friend, parents, children, employment) and you find self unable to feel good among these people. If you feel loneliness, you can feel excluded, deprived of something in relationship you long for, restrained, uneasy,... despite you are among those people. You aren't physically isolated, nor you need to be emotionally isolated from them, but you can't feel good among those people or you feel that you lack something you long for in these relationships.
NightandSilence17
July 9th, 2020 3:42pm
Isolation feels much more comforting. Isolation gives you the freedom to walk along the beach at night, to listen to music in your room, to wake up at any time you please and go on spontaneous adventures. Isolation means nobody is there to criticize your actions; you can live by your own rules. Loneliness, however, makes you feel like nobody wants to associate themselves with you. You feel as though there is nobody to talk to when you need a friend, nobody wants to invite you to their birthday party, nobody wants to talk to you. And it's entirely possible to enjoy isolation and despise loneliness.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2020 11:23pm
For me being isolated is me wanting and choosing to have time to myself, by myself. Loneliness is not having a choice. Sometimes I’m around people and I still feel lonely. So it doesn’t even have to be when you’re by yourself. You can feel lonely if you are with others because it depends on the connection and how you are feeling in the moment. If you are already sad then there is a greater chance that you are going to feel lonely. So I think the difference is if you want to be alone because you just want time for yourself self and being lonely is not having anyone or not having a connection in that moment.
PumpkinSpiceCara
July 23rd, 2020 7:38pm
There are two things to look at here. First, what is isolation? Isolation is defined as being removed from or far away from someone/something. Now, what is loneliness? Loneliness is defined as the feeling of sadness because someone has no friends. So, the difference between isolation and loneliness is pretty simple. Isolation is more situational and can be beyond your control, while loneliness is an emotional feeling that can be resolved. While loneliness does often spawn from isolation, isolation does not always come from loneliness. It is important to distinguish between these terms, especially when trying a treatment plan for a mental illness.