Earlier this month I discussed the importance of solitude especially this season, but with today being my wedding anniversary and two years since my divorce I wanted to talk about the difference between loneliness and solitude. Many people think that loneliness and solitude are the same, but they are drastically different.While both conditions involve being alone, loneliness results when we do not have meaningful human connections. You see there are people in full blown relationships but they are lonely because they are lacking the connection. Today I want to compare and contrast to two extremes’.Loneliness occurs when we feel alone, unseen, or misunderstood. This can happen during this season if you’re going through a break up or divorce and many people are noticing this with the social distancing initiatives. It can also occur when someone feels ignored or misunderstood by those closest to them.When it comes to loneliness, the quality of social interaction, AND the quantity, makes a difference. For example I have a friend who lives with her dog and she is rarely lonely and that is because she does a good job to connect to her friends and those relationships are healthy and engaging relationships.Loneliness raises the risks of a variety of mental and physical health conditions, including:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Obesity and diabetes
• Lowered immune system
• Increased stress levels
• Depression and anxiety
• Addiction
• Cognitive decline, including poor memory and learning ability
• Alzheimer’s disease

I recently learned, that the health effects of loneliness are roughly equal to the health effects of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Solitude and Its Effect on Our Health

Solitude on the other hand is different than loneliness in the extent that it is intentional and much needed. Solititude is the state of being still with your thoughts. In fact, if we avoid incorporating solitude in our life it can have a negative impact on our mental health.The benefits of solitude include:

• Improved concentration and productivity
• Increased creativity
• Greater understanding of yourself
• Increased empathy
• Renewed energy
• Improved problem solving
• Relaxation and reduced stress

 These benefits occur because solitude allows you to think, relax, and get in touch with your own thoughts, needs and desires. Everyone, whether introvert or extrovert, has a need to spend some time by. Examples of solitude are meditation, a mindful walk, prayer, being still, or journaling.Overall the main difference is if you are experiencing loneliness, it is important to reach out and make connections to the people around you. If, on the other hand, you are stressed and overstimulated, you might just need some healthy solitude in order to rest and recharge.I often work with my clients to incorporate solitude because it is so life changing. Will you join me on the journey of choosing healing and changing your life? Sign up for my FREE choose healing challenge here: https://nicolyawilliams.com/choosehealingchallenge/