Loneliness is a feeling of emptiness inside you; you feel isolated or separated from everyone, cut off from those you would like to have contact with. You may feel lonely missing a certain person because they have passed on or because they are so far away. You might feel lonely if you work alone at night, or work alone in a part of a building where people do not often go. You may feel emotionally isolated when you are surrounded by people but are having difficulty socializing with them.

Feeling lonely is not the same as being alone. A person will always have a time when they choose to be alone. Instead, loneliness is the feeling of sadness about being alone.

Becoming more active or starting a hobby can sometimes help prevent you from feeling lonely. If we are missing someone who is far away, we can telephone, write, e-mail or visit them.

Talking to an understanding friend, pastor, priest, teacher or counsellor can often help change our moods as well. If we are lonely because we are missing someone who has died, being able to express our grief at their loss and beginning to remember our happiest moments with them, and knowing that those memories can always be with us, can move us away from the lonely feelings.