In Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, John T. Cacioppo and William Patrick delve into the natural phenomenon that is loneliness – what it is, what effects it has on the health and well-being of individuals, and what we can do to combat it. The authors use real life scenarios from individuals who offered up their precious time to be studied in order to determine just how “lonely” they truly are. They also utilize scientific research gathered from animals and tribes from different points in history to show the evolution of loneliness over time. By giving the readers a snapshot into other’s lives, Cacioppo and Patrick show that loneliness is a feeling experienced by everyone at some point. Although the “side effects”
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How does one fight loneliness effectively when facing all of the emotions and tribulations that this feeling can bring? “Minimizing negative emotions can enhance the positive trends,” says the authors (Cacioppo and Patrick 225). According to Cacioppo and Patrick, when people first learn of their research on loneliness, one of the first questions raised is the inquiry of whether or not the pharmaceutical companies will ever create a pill to cure loneliness. The answer is no; while there may be some lonely individuals who benefit from depression medications or therapeutic help, there is no need for a chemical fix (Cacioppo and Patrick 228). Cacioppo recalls one of his own experiences in chapter two as a great example of how to re-work one’s thinking about loneliness. He was on his way to what he thought would be a conference in Granada, Spain; instead, thanks to a slight communication error, Cacioppo found himself in Grenada, a country in the Caribbean. All hopes of making his conference were soon lost once he realized his mistake. According to Cacioppo, he could have easily gone to the hotel bar that night and drank his sorrows away; he was alone in a strange country thanks to his own mistakes. Instead, Cacioppo fought the urge to let loneliness win, shared his embarrassing story with some visiting football players in the bar, and wound up making some new friends (Cacioppo and Patrick
How does one fight loneliness effectively when facing all of the emotions and tribulations that this feeling can bring? “Minimizing negative emotions can enhance the positive trends,” says the authors (Cacioppo and Patrick 225). According to Cacioppo and Patrick, when people first learn of their research on loneliness, one of the first questions raised is the inquiry of whether or not the pharmaceutical companies will ever create a pill to cure loneliness. The answer is no; while there may be some lonely individuals who benefit from depression medications or therapeutic help, there is no need for a chemical fix (Cacioppo and Patrick 228). Cacioppo recalls one of his own experiences in chapter two as a great example of how to re-work one’s thinking about loneliness. He was on his way to what he thought would be a conference in Granada, Spain; instead, thanks to a slight communication error, Cacioppo found himself in Grenada, a country in the Caribbean. All hopes of making his conference were soon lost once he realized his mistake. According to Cacioppo, he could have easily gone to the hotel bar that night and drank his sorrows away; he was alone in a strange country thanks to his own mistakes. Instead, Cacioppo fought the urge to let loneliness win, shared his embarrassing story with some visiting football players in the bar, and wound up making some new friends (Cacioppo and Patrick