# how do you handle loneliness? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 27, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607 "2003-03-27T20:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/61 "2003-03-30T04:46:53Z")
Egh, lonliness… It’s strange. For almost my entire life, I never really felt lonely. I am an only child and I guess I learned at a young age how to amuse and entertain myself. Even the fact that I hadn’t been in a relationship for about 5 years didn’t make me feel lonely. Sure, I felt like something was missing, but I didn’t feel all that lonely. Then, for the last 6 months, I was in what seemed to be an absolutely wonderful relationship. It seemed to be going quite well and I grew rather used to having someone around. Now, the relationship has ended, and, for the life of me, I can’t remember how to once again be happy alone. ---
**Author:** ![NardoPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NardoPolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NardoPolo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/62 "2003-03-30T20:51:45Z")
Focus not on what you are missing, but focus on what you have. You’re not **alone**. You’re **Independent.** [ul][li]Make last-minute plans. Then change them. And make no excuses.[/li][li]Go see that movie that only you want to see. And avoid the dumb one that you would only have seen for someone else’s sake.[/li][li]Fill up your schedule: take a sign language course, work out at the gym, join a pick-up volleyball game, etc. Don’t worry about making time for your “partner”.[/li][li]Listen to the music you like but annoys most everyone else. Loudly. And repeatedly. Put that single song on repeat for an hour and make no excuses.[/li][li]Sing. Whistle. Hum.[/li][li]Spend (or save) your money the way you want to. [/li][li]Slurp your cereal the way it used to annoy your partner.[/li][li]Don’t compromise your principles for the sake of concensus.[/li][\*]You get the idea. 🆒 [/ul]Though I admit, loneliness hurts. Know that it won’t last forever. And while you have it - make the best of it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/63 "2003-03-30T23:25:38Z")
I’m a people person, so while I enjoy abouts of alone-ness, if they happen too often, I get sad. I like going to the movies when I’m lonely. It’s something that gets me out of the house, and that I can enjoy on my own. Also (and I know it’s probably not the healthiest solution), multiple glasses of wine and silly TV can help temporarily. ---
**Author:** ![Monopoly\_Money](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Monopoly\_Money](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monopoly_Money)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/64 "2003-03-31T01:28:04Z")
“Walked out this morning don’t believe what I saw a hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore seems I’m not alone in being alone a hundred billion castaways looking for a home” ---
**Author:** ![Simbelmyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Simbelmyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simbelmyne)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/65 "2003-03-31T05:57:40Z")
when no one else is around and I sing into the waves ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607/66 "2003-03-31T06:56:41Z")
I sleep, read, play in the garden, talk to my dogs, call my mom, call my oldest daughter at college, get blown off by the last two, resort to the message boards where I am also ignored but at least feel a part of something, and stare at the computer until I can no longer stay awake. Sometimes I start cleaning things. I leave the TV on. Sometimes I pretend that there are lots of people over. I have no friends, a husband and family who demand my constant attention and I am constanly belittled, critisized and put upon. I am vaugely envious of, and mystified by those who do have friends. I fantasize of being alone on a tropical island. I have gone weeks without talking to a single person outside my family, and I really didn’t mind. Damn, but I am pathetic. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-handle-loneliness/164607.md?page=3)