According to St Mother Teresa, “loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”. Probably those most affected by loneliness are the citizens in their old age. Many do not have anyone to care for them. Several of them end up in the home for the aged, abandoned by their children. They are kept away from their grandchildren. They yearn for some company, someone to talk to, someone to listen to them. Love is the answer to drive away loneliness. Indeed loneliness is a terrible disease. God will test and even increase our patience while we wait in our loneliness. Our deficiencies, insecurities and defence mechanisms are revealed in our aloneness, which God can then use to strengthen our character. At the same time, loneliness is often a consequence of deep dissatisfaction with oneself. Indeed, loneliness is not a reality, it's a choice. If we change the way we look at the world, ourselves and being alone, we can begin to see that loneliness is natural. While some can get along with loneliness, it must be said that man is not an island. Research shows that chronic loneliness can have a significant impact on your overall health, including your brain health. Some studies even suggest that there may be a link between loneliness and an increased risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer's.
