Humans are social creatures by nature. While some individuals would much rather hole themselves up in a room and avoid human interaction, a majority of people’s happiness is actually directly affected by whether or not they feel lonely. The feeling of loneliness is a common one that can lead to depression, distractions and exhaustion. Unfortunately, the solution to feeling lonely is not always to surround yourself with a crowd of people. In reality, being alone and feeling lonely simply are not the same thing. This is why so many people facing this major obstacle in their life choose to refer to books about loneliness for effective solutions and insight.
Reading self-help books about loneliness will show people who feel lonely that they really are not alone. As much as 40 percent of Americans have reported being lonely, and many of the respondents are not in solitude but instead lack emotional intimacy and fulfilling social connections. If you would like to read valuable publications about loneliness and how to combat the feeling that is harmful to your overall well-being, try these books.
#1 – Living Alone and Loving It
Barbara Feldon
Feldon’s book titled Living Alone and Loving It is a memoir and also a self-help guide on loneliness and how to relish the solo life. Feldon found herself writing the chronicles after severing not one but two relationships and realizing that living alone could be a joyous period rather than a terrifying one. Many people who reach the end of a long-term relationship are fearful of what living alone will bring. This is one of the books about loneliness that will help you nurture your independence and end the negative thinking so that you can live alone without feeling alone.
#2 – Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection
John T. Cacioppo, William Patrick
Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection was written by a social neuroscientist that has conducted years and years of research on the effects that loneliness has on the human condition. In the studies, Cacioppo found that feeling isolated can affect everything from immune systems to a person’s ability to think. Unlike many books about loneliness, this is not only a self-help book. Instead, it also gives the reader a scientific look on the very large impact that isolation and a feeling of being lonely can have on a person physically and emotionally.
#3 – The Well of Loneliness
Radclyffe Hall
Originally published in 1928, this timeless classic is based on Radclyffe’s life story and was once banned from publication due to the lesbian content that was deemed unacceptable at the time. The controversial novel is focused on the life of Stephen Gordon, who loses who father to cancer and then her mother after she discovers the truth about her daughter’s sexuality. The character then finds a love and also happiness, which is seemingly ripped from her because society will not accept her relationship with another woman. While this is considered a fictional book about loneliness, it is based on the author’s real life and a story that those who have felt lonely because they don’t quite fit in, can relate to.
#4 – Married But Lonely
David E. Clarke
Sometimes, marrying a good person will not always provide you with the intimacy you need in life. A person who is committed, treats you well, and cares for their family can still fail to provide their spouse with the intimate, romantic and emotional intimacy that they need to feel like they have a real partner in life. In Married..But Lonely, the author Dr. Clarke guides the reader through the steps that a spouse can take to make marriage improvements.
#5 – The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God
Elisabeth Eliot
Some books about loneliness are strictly focused on coping in a specific scenario. This book on the topic of feeling lonely will help anyone in a variety of scenarios find their way through the challenges of loneliness so that they can make peace with their situation. This self-help book focuses on embracing God’s plan for every individual and helps readers use their faith to grow gracefully through loneliness.
#6 – Leaving Loneliness: A Workbook: Building Relationships with Yourself and Others
David Narang Ph.D.
Written by Dr. Narang, this self-help book takes a unique approach to helping the reader address persistent feelings of loneliness. The author is an experience psychologist who has spent a great deal of time researching how childhood events can affect a person’s ability to develop relationships later in life. Dr. Narang details different attachment styles and explains how these styles can affect a person socially. Once you understand your style, the workbook will give you steps on making positive changes using reflective activities.
#7 – God’s Outrageous Claims: Discover What They Mean for You
Lee Strobel
Most books about loneliness are specifically about how to combat the feeling or how to understand why you feel the way you do. Others discuss this and more. God’s Outrageous Claims: Discover What They Mean for You is a book that discusses 13 claims made by God so that the reader can understand assertions in the Bible that can change their life. This faith-based publication is designed to revolutionize your attitude so that you can grow as a person.
#8 – The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American
David Riesman, Todd Gitlin, Nathan Glazer
While this is one of the older sociology books about loneliness that has been published, it is said to be one of the most influential. The authors analyze the new middle class and highlight some of the political, economic and psychological problems that have been created by changes in American character. While this was written over 40 years ago, the issues discussed are still relevant today.
#9 – Alone: Finding Connection in a Lonely World
Andy Braner
Alone is one of the fairly recent books about loneliness that directly discusses how modern day issues of today are affecting society’s ability to connect. Social platforms like Facebook, Skype, Snapchat and others create the illusion of connection, but do not fulfill a person’s need for intimacy on various levels. The book then gives advice on how to build lasting relationships centered around God’s love.
#10 – Freedom From Loneliness: 52 Ways To Stop Feeling Lonely
Jennifer Page
Instead of giving surface level advice on how to combat feeling lonely like some books about loneliness, Freedom From Loneliness: 52 Ways To Stop Feeling Lonely goes deeper to give you practical advice on how to build deeper connections in a society where face-to-face communication is second to virtual platforms. This self-help book is a story of a single woman’s journey to find a solution for her struggle with loneliness.
If you are looking to salve the pain that comes with feeling like you are in an emotional exile, the solution could be to read books about loneliness. Find a way to build lasting connections with the mental and emotional tools you can develop, and live a new and happier life.
