Loneliness is the emotion that I went to my therapist for seeking help. Mind you, I have been in a 20 year marriage and my husband has been working from home for the past 8 years. I am lonely but rarely alone.

According to Wikipedia, “What makes a person lonely is the fact that they want more social interaction than what is currently available.” While my husband is very social he is not and has never been emotionally available. In other words he wants our relationship to operate on a superficial level. Pass the peas.

Many times when he is out of town I experience blissful periods of solitude. For a few days I do exactly what I want and find that I accomplish quiet a lot. I am rarely lonely. I make a point of seeing my friends. It is an event. “Steve is out of town. Lets get together for a girl’s night”.

Then what is it? I feel alone with his companionship and solitude when I am with out him. When I really contemplate life alone it is frightening. But am I not alone now?

Emotional isolation is just as torturous as physical isolation. The health ramifications of physical isolation run the gamut. High blood pressure, cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease and depression. What about emotional isolation?

For now, I am focusing on solitude and my wonderful network of friends. You are only as lonely as you feel.