A lot of movie buffs and film connoisseurs are introverts, which means many likes to be alone. However, others are more extroverted and have a hard time enjoying time alone. In some cases, this can lead to loneliness that watching your favorite movie series doesn’t even remedy.
Loneliness and being alone are not the same thing and the difference is important if you want to figure out how to enjoy being alone. Part of it is learning how to enjoy the time, but sometimes there is an underlying cause of loneliness that also needs to be addressed.
What is Loneliness?
Loneliness is a feeling of emptiness and being alone that is associated with a craving for human interaction. It is a state of mind that can make it hard to pursue healthy relationships and connections with other people. Sometimes loneliness is associated with depression, grief, isolation, or other mental health conditions.
Loneliness is a feeling, and it can be experienced even with others. It is possible to feel lonely even if you are not actually alone. This can be the case if you are with people that you do not feel connected to or that you do not care for.
If you want to know more about loneliness and advice for coping, building relationships, and addressing potential issues, then you should check out https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/loneliness/.
Otherwise, knowing the difference between loneliness and being alone can also be helpful for anyone who struggled with solitude or the feeling of isolation.
Loneliness vs. Being Alone
Being alone is not the same thing as being lonely because loneliness is a feeling and a state of mind, whereas being alone is just the condition of being by yourself. While you may not love being alone and may rather share your interests, like cinema, and time with other people, solitude is not inherently negative and can have some benefits.
Loneliness is characterized by feelings of isolation that coincide with a desire for socialization. Therefore, it is involuntary and can cause feelings of rejection and craving for connections. Solitude is voluntary and many people enjoy spending time alone while simultaneously getting a healthy amount of social interaction and developing healthy relationships.
What Causes Loneliness?
Various factors can influence a feeling of loneliness or lack thereof. Sometimes it is caused by a specific situation like moving somewhere where you do not know anybody, the ending of a relationship, or something like the coronavirus pandemic that forces quarantine.
One potential cause is mental illness. Depression can cause isolation and social withdrawal that can be a major contributor to a feeling of loneliness. It can happen vice versa as well where loneliness causes symptoms commonly associated with depression. Loneliness also corresponds with low self-esteem, which can cause low confidence levels and impact the motivation and pursuit of social connection.
It is important not to disregard personality either. Movie lovers can be quite social, but many also self-identify as introverts. This can contribute to a desire to be alone and less enthusiasm to pursue social interactions with a lot of people. Those who are extroverted may enjoy those types of relationships more and in that case, it may be easier to avoid loneliness in the first place or to escape it if it does occur.
How to Prevent Loneliness and Enjoy Being Alone
Preventing loneliness and enjoying solitude is easier said than done, especially if you are extroverted and crave contact with people often. However, there are some changes you can make to reduce the feelings of loneliness and to make your alone time more valuable or enjoyable.
One strategy is to find others who share similar interests as you. This could be a broad category like movies or filmmaking but could also be more niche like a certain genre of movies or even a favorite series that you enjoy. Finding a community of people online or locally of those who share these interests can help you cultivate relationships and build stronger connections.
If you cannot find a group locally, then you can start one on your own. While this can be hard to do in smaller communities, if you have a nearby college or community center then you may be able to start a group or club based on cinema.
You can also reach out to your current friends and family members. Sometimes we disregard people that we used to be close to. It can help just to reach out and reignite the friendship or connection.
Most of the suggestions so far are related to finding others to spend time with one way or another, but you can also learn to do things by yourself to find joy and entertainment. Sure, you can watch movies alone, but that may not be exciting or enjoyable for some people.
One thing you can do is to treat yourself to dinner and a movie. Eating out or going to the movie theater is often thought of as a social activity, but it doesn’t have to be that way and you may find that you enjoy doing it by yourself more than you thought you would. It can also give you a chance to meet other people and talk about the movie that you choose to see. Plus, without other people, you may find that you get to focus on the film more and identify concepts, themes, and effects that you may not have noticed otherwise.
You can also learn a new skill or further develop a hobby. If you have always been interested in movies, but never decided to look at cinematography, acting, filmmaking, or other related topics then this could be your chance.
You can also choose to travel, visit museums, go for hikes, or take a class. You may even enjoy volunteering for a cause that you believe in or decide to read some books that you have wanted to read for years, but never had the time to do so.
If you learn to value your alone time rather than being bored, then you may also find that the time you spend with others becomes more valuable as well. While enjoying solitude can be hard to do if you are feeling lonely and isolated, if you are merely bored or do not know what to do when you are alone, it can help you get the most out of life.
Conclusion
Everybody spends time alone and some people enjoy it more than others, but loneliness is different and is the feeling of isolation that is often coupled with sadness, insecurity, and other negative emotions as well as a craving for social interaction. There are sometimes underlying causes, and it can be helpful to talk to someone, no matter who that might be including friends, family, or even a therapist. In addition, learning how to enjoy being alone can improve the quality of your life as well and help you relax and recuperate without becoming bored and anxious.
