Loneliness

Our cities are so full of people - it may seem strange to think that anyone can be lonely. But the fact is that one can be lonely in a crowd, and in fact it can be harder to establish relationships in a crowded city that in a quiet small town.

Loneliness is a painful awareness of not having the relationships you need. Some people are lonely because they have moved to a new city and do not have a network of friends. Others may have many contacts but lack closer relationships.
Loneliness is seen across all age groups. Single people are more likely to be lonely than married people, but marriage is no guarantee of avoiding loneliness. The unhappily married person or the housebound wife may be very lonely. Both men and women feel lonely(but women are more likely to admit).
A lonely person is likely to have negative feelings - he or she may feel depressed, bored, sorry for self, sad and may even think he is unattractive and that no one will like him. Some lonely people become problem drinkers. Perhaps most serious of all, loneliness threatens life itself. One of the most clearly identified characteristics of potential suicide victims is their sense of loneliness.

What causes loneliness?

In large cities, people tend to protect themselves from over stimulation by limiting their involvement with those they do not know.

This makes it more difficult for a new person to make friends. At the same time, more people are moving away from the place where they grew up and need to make new friends.
Young adults and adolescents, in particular, feel ashamed to be seen alone. Avoiding this embarrassment contributes to their loneliness by keeping them away from places where they might meet people.