Good Example Of Essay On A Fear Of Loneliness

Human’s mind is capable of feeling a wide range of emotions, both positive and negative. Positive emotions are not always influenced by a mere absence of some unpleasant or tragic events, as happy moments can also take place because of events and people which are joyful and positive. On the other hand, negative emotions seem mostly to appear when there are no positive emotions to be make one happy or the pressure and stress have built up to the extent where any positive emotions are either taken for granted or unnoticed. Love, support, friendship, happy memories shared with the dearest ones, sociability, and communication all qualify for positive emotions, while the fear of loneliness is indeed one of the worst feelings there can be. But is it the same for everyone?
Take, for example, an inborn introvert who prefers observation to participation, reflects on his inner world rather than pays attention to the world that surrounds him, appears to be more interested in self-reflection than socializing with others and genuinely sees world as a part of himself rather than his own self as a part of this fast-moving world. Naturally, such person is surrounded by family, classmates or coworkers, neighbors and other people which are in one way or another engaged into the introvert’s daily activities. This person might not fear loneliness and, on the contrary, can even desire it as social interactions take up the most of this individual’s energy. Of course it does not mean that this person does not have or need love, they just view the world differently and see their part in it other than extraverts. Thus, a general fear of loneliness cannot be applied to them, as it rather takes the shape of fear of losing someone they allow close to their heart. In this case, fear of loneliness or being left alone is not present in one’s arsenal of emotions as their world perception is drastically different from those deeming loneliness their biggest fear.
When it comes to little children, their fear of being alone is justified as their ability to count on their own selves and self-reliance may not yet be developed, therefore, they view a lonely state as a potentially dangerous and life-threatening situation. Their self-defense mechanism, both physical and mental, is not fully formed yet. Thus, being left alone for a long time can be a huge stress for them and may even result in certain delays in their cognitive and early development. In this case, the fear of loneliness does not take place as a thought-out reaction, but rather appears to be an instinct and natural fear.
However, if we take, for example, a recently widowed young woman, her fear of loneliness can turn into a serious phobia of being left alone, as the fear of loneliness she might have had prior to a tragic loss of her loved one has transformed into a depressing reality she is now forced to live in. Being left alone, even for a short period of time, can trigger the negative memories and even suicidal thoughts, which is why a constant present of somebody this woman can rely on, trust, feel support and love from and share her thoughts with is crucial for eventually getting over this tragedy. Thus, her fear of loneliness does not take place as craving for attention or inability to spend some quality time on her own, but is realized into her daily life and the fear of being permanently abandoned by the ones she loves constantly persists. In this case, the fear of loneliness and of being left alone is dictated by a recent tragic event which has altered one’s self-perception and reality analysis.
As for another aspect of fear of loneliness, many older people say that they are afraid to be left alone because of the two main reasons. Firstly, after having spent a life time interacting with their family and friends, watching their children lead their own life, having the “empty nest syndrome” and watch older friends pass away, old people realize they do not have much time left to enjoy the moments shared with their close ones, and, thus, fear being alone as to not waste valuable time and make the best out of the remainder of their life together with their families. Secondly, older people are likely to develop certain physical and mental disabilities as they age, and, thus, are afraid of loneliness as, left alone, they might no longer be able to keep right track of their actions or perform certain body functions on their own. In this case, this fear is justified due to one’s natural preoccupation of being helpless.
Personally, I fear loneliness not because I am an introvert or have had some tragic events in my life that have made me being paranoid of having no one to turn to or being deprived of company. I fear loneliness because I do not wish to take the precious moments spent with my loved ones for granted, and the fear of the possibility to be left alone without a soul I truly love and enjoy spending time with keeps me aloft and makes me appreciate each and every individual I have shared something with throughout my life path. Thus, my fear takes the shape of a constant reminder that unmaterialistic things must be valued more than any material item. Being abandoned by anyone and everyone is final, while the time we have together with our close people offers numerous possibilities that we have to fetch before they slip out of our reach and make us regret the priorities we have once set.
After thorough analysis and detailed description of each point, it becomes evident that fear of loneliness is a broad term and has various shapes, which can be altered due to one’s personal background, mentality, physical and mental health, age, views and self-perception. Regardless this fear is or is not present in one’s life, every individual should remember that love, care and support are the blessings which can heal all wounds and remedy all souls.