Emotional loneliness

You may have people around you, but you miss a deep, intimate bond: someone to tell your things to first, who knows you inside out. That absence is felt most in key moments.

Recommendations

✓Deepen one or two relationships you already have: share something more personal.
✓If you miss a partner, give yourself opportunities to meet people in contexts you enjoy.
✓A therapist can also be a safe space to be fully yourself.

If you need help, you're not alone

If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe, 911 in North America).

Find free, confidential helplines in your country (abuse, crisis, mental health): findahelpline.com

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About this test

You can feel lonely surrounded by people, or be alone and feel perfectly fine. Loneliness isn't about how many people you see, but about the connection you feel.

Answer thinking about the last few weeks. There are no right answers: this is just for you.

Not all loneliness is the same

Sociologist Robert Weiss distinguished in 1973 between emotional loneliness (missing a close, intimate bond, such as a partner or best friend) and social loneliness (missing a wider network of friends or a group to belong to). Many people also describe existential loneliness: feeling that nobody truly understands them, even when surrounded by others.

Loneliness is very common and affects physical and mental health, to the point that health authorities such as the US Surgeon General have described it as a public health issue. Knowing what kind you feel helps you look for the right kind of connection.