Being alone and feeling alone - is there a difference?

[Mek]

I was discussing this with my mom earlier (for reasons I care not to disclose), and I was wondering what y'all thought:

Do you think there's a difference between *being* alone (like say, living your life without friends/family/ect. all) and *feeling* alone (like say, you are with others, but you feel isolated/alone, ect. all)?

Just a question that kinda made me think.

Personally, I'm still trying to figure what the answer is m'self. D=

[Martianinvader]

There's not much of a difference. I'm not sure if there is even one at all. They both sting the same way.

[Kagetsu]

Being alone is nice sometimes. Being around people you make compromises after awhile I just need to get away. Feeling alone is feeling left out, missing the humour and agreement of friends. Worst is alone in a crowd, when no one cares what you have to say and won't let you join in. :sad:

[redDragon]

There's a definite difference between being alone and feeling alone. Being alone just implies you're by yourself. You could be happy, you could be sad, you can't really tell with just those two words. On the other hand, feeling alone implies that you are lonely and that you desire company but can't really get it.

They both sting the same way.

Being alone doesn't have to sting. Everyone likes to have at least a little time to themselves and I'm pretty sure that doesn't sting. You're alone when you're in the shower (well most of the time) and that's not going to sting!

Or think about hermits, they live by themselves and they very much want to live that way so they're not going to be stung by being alone.

Sure at times being alone CAN sting but usually it is when it is coupled with feeling alone.

[JSpengs]

There is totally a difference. I like being alone, I like to have quiet time to myself, but I can't stand to feel lonely. I get that feeling often though, mostly at work, because I can't relate to my coworkers. I'm into totally different stuff then they are, I relate better with comic nerds and gamers, tho I don't play games for the most part, and I'm not really into comics. I like my music eclectic, my animated movies obscure, and my televsion shows to be older than I am. I'm the kind of person who'll watch "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" "Cool World" or "Looney Toons: Back in Action" and think how cool if the world really was like that. That's not something you can talk about with just anyone. But wait, I'm straying...

But being alone I can sleep in late, I can sing to my music at the top of my lungs, I can dance, I can talk out aloud to myself when trying to find something, I can sit in silence, spend all day on the computer, take a walk, watch obscure cartoon movies, I can do alot of things because I don't have anyone else slowing me down, getting in my way. I love it.

To me, they are two different feelings, like night and day.

[purplehairedwonder]

I'd definitely say there is a difference between the two. There are times when I like to be alone. I have no friends who are anime fans, so when I'm alone I can get into my anime and things like that. Sometimes it's just nice to be alone to think or whatever.

But being lonely is different. Being lonely is when you want to be with people but you can't. I get lonely when I have friends absent from school so I'm "alone" in a class or I think about wanting to be with my best friends... who live 3,000 miles away.

[guinaevere]

For some people with social disorders/anxieties, there is no difference at all.

[HumanoidTyphoon]

Being alone isn't neccessarily a bad thing feeling alone is. You can be alone and still be fine. I think it's after being alone for long enough that you start to feel alone. No one should be alone forever.:sad:

[Fone Bone]

For some people with social disorders/anxieties, there is no difference at all.Yeah, I like being alone because I'm too scared of interacting with people. I sometimes talk to my stuffed animals. They are good listeners.

[guinaevere]

Funny you mention that, Fone. This evening while I was making dinner, I was interacting/talking to one of my aquapets (http://www.myaquapet.com/). Mumsy came home, heard me, and asked if I was okay... or if there was someone else in the house?

"Heh... Just me. I'm talking to Booger (http://myaquapet.com/images/product/product_right/lugi_product_shot.jpg)." :sweat:

[Weatherman]

There's certainly a difference bewteen being alone and feeling alone. You can feel alone anywhere and with any number of people around. Doesn't matter if it's you and one otehr person or you and 100,000. Being alone litteraly means that there is no one else around to associate with. You can be alone without feeling alone and you can feel alone without being alone.

[Czar Gato]

There's definitely a difference. I enjoy my privacy and actually get anxious in social situations sometimes. I actually feel more alone around people that I don't know than when I'm completely by myself; I can at least enjoy the solitude.

[Fone Bone]

There's definitely a difference. I enjoy my privacy and actually get anxious in social situations sometimes. I actually feel more alone around people that I don't know than when I'm completely by myself; I can at least enjoy the solitude.Me too. Asperger's sucks (except the Toon Zone clique) and me having OCD just makes it even worse. Sometimes all I need are my animals. When I'm feeling lonely it's easier to just go on-line.

[Kury Wagner]

While I'm not much of a people person, I don't like being completely alone. I don't like the quiet. I can be too serious when it's quiet. And serious Sam isn't as fun. She's kinda pompous.

Anyway, back on topic, no I don't really think there's a diff.

[Phantasm]

Of course there's a difference between being alone and feeling alone.
I like being alone. I like the quite where I can get lost in thoughts...and since I'm not really a people person, I prefer being alone.
Feeling alone is a terrible feeling.Because almost always it makes you feel unhappy and discontent.

[Bird Boy]

I'm reminded of a quote from the live-action "The Tick" when I heard this thread title...

Captain Liberty: Are we lonely?
Batmanuel: We're too attractive to be lonely.
Captain Liberty: But we are alone.
Batmanuel: Not alone. Lone. Alone is an unfortunate predicament. Lone is an aesthetic choice.

(God I love that show...)

redDragon's comments pretty much summed up my feelings on the subject. Some just have trouble interacting with other humans (myself), while others just plain don't like other people (for instance, my sister). Of course, depending on your religion, you're technically (well, more spiritually I guess) never "alone;" then there's pets to talk to...

It is one great thing about the internet; there's always someone who's just or nearly identicle to you and you can talk to them about anything. There's no physical interaction of course, but the fact that someones there is enough.

If you're with others and you feel "alone" or like an "outcast", then you obviously just don't enjoy being around those people. But just sitting in your room with music going, meditating or whatever you do to relax--that's not bad...it's just kind of nice.

-BB

[James]

Definate difference as people here have said. I like being alone, I'm not as sociable as I was these days.. however, maybe the difference is I know if I don't want to be alone, I can work sociably to change that. I'm comfortable with my ability to interact and live by myself that I can choose which I need. Sometimes we all need people, sometimes I love just being to interact at the distance I prefer.

I think the idea of being alone in a crowd is true. Yeah people can be great socialists, but some people use the support of others as a way of not facing their own self.

To be rounded you need to be happy with who you are and spending time with yourself. To be able to that though you must be able to understand what you want and not what society expects. To be able to understand that not everyone is happier than you, those in social groups aren't better and that you should simply be dictated by who want to be and not who you think you should be.

You can be alone in a crowd, you can be alone without a crowd, you can also be alone if you are not one with who you are - in a crowd or by yourself. The only time you won't be lonely is when you are alone and comfortable with that. I kind of hope that's why I am at now.

[Carolina Red]

To me feeling alone can be a good thing at times. Maybe it's better to be able to think without the influence of other people at times. Of course, being alone to me isn't an emotional thing, sometimes that's a good thing too for the same reason. Now if by feeling alone you mean not being loved, I don't think that's too much of a burden. To me happiness is about how the self feels.