João Tiago Oliveira, CIPsi’s researcher, gave an interview to journalist Ana Tulha for Notícias Magazine, where he discussed the concept of “aloneliness”, which refers to the lack of alone time as an emotional discomfort.
CIPsi’s researcher emphasized the difference between “solitude”, a healthy experience of wanting to be with oneself, and “loneliness”, which refers to the unhappiness felt by those who wish for social interaction but don’t have it. This distinction is vital, especially in a modern world saturated with stimuli, where the need for moments of regenerating solitude is becoming increasingly crucial for emotional balance.
“For us Portuguese, this may be a little more difficult to understand, because we only have one word for it: ‘solidão’ (loneliness). In English, there are two. We use ‘solitude’ when we are talking about something healthy, i.e. the constant and biological desire to be with oneself, and ‘loneliness’ when we are referring to the unhappiness felt by those who want to have social contacts but are unable to.”
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