With the stress and strains stemming from personal, local, national and global problems, it’s no surprise that people are looking for a little more me’ time.
Solitude is a very difficult subject for others to comprehend, especially if those people are loved ones who are close to you. The fact that you want a little you’ time creates a sense of something being wrong in the eyes of others. Furthermore, whatever the reason may be as to why you need solitude, those close to you may feel that you should be opening up to them instead of figuratively locking yourself away.
Well why do people need solitude?’ I hear you ask. There are a number of reasons why, and the reasons will vary from person to person. Whether it is serious or just a chance to unwind, people all need a little quiet time that consists of them spending time by themselves. The following points highlight just a few reasons why people may need to do so.
A Bad or Busy Day
There are a number of reasons why people need solitude, with the first being that they may have simply had a bad/ busy day. This can occur at work, school or college etc, and when their day is over they may just need to unwind. The fact that their day has been filled with stress, more work than usual, or even a number of things going wrong, makes it no surprise that they will welcome some alone time at the first chance that presents itself. If this is the case, there is no need to panic, as once they have had this quiet time, they will probably be back to their usual self.
Relationship Issues
Nothing hurts more than matters of the heart. Regardless of what others think about your relationship, when things go wrong, for whatever reason, it still hurts. You find yourself locking yourself away in your house, flat, or even room, listening to all those sad love songs, and although they make you feel worse, they make you feel better at the same time. I hear some of you ask how can they possibly make you feel better?’ Well they do this by assisting you in achieving the aim you subconsciously set out to achieve… to feel as miserable about your relationship issues as you possibly can!
Reflection
People may require solitude based on the fact they may simply be reflective types of people. They may like to take time out to reflect on the day they have had. As can be seen, this is not necessarily a negative, even though sometimes seeking solitude is seen in a negative light. Solitude can be good in terms of planning, reflecting, and ensuring that the best possible outcomes will occur during a given situation. For example, if you are planning an essay or any piece of work, you will need time and space in order to get your thoughts from the confines of your mind, and transfer them to paper/ a computer.
Finances
In today’s society people are faced with a number of financial issues. With the cost of food, petrol and inflation continuing to rise, people are finding it more and more difficult to provide for themselves and their families.
As a result, people may need time out of their hectic lives, not only to leave their worries at the door, but also to plan how they are to make extra income. Financial factors, as well as the other issues discussed, are factors that if not dealt with sufficiently, may lead to depression. It is important to talk your problems through with those close to you, or it may be easier to talk to a complete stranger (counselling services are good for a non-judgemental conversation). The old adage of a problem shared is a problem halved’ has to be used here, as keeping your issues to yourself can eat away at you. Talking about it with someone may provide you with a solution to your problem.
A Final Thought
Although it is very natural to want a bit of quiet time, and spend it on your own, you must remember that the people around you will be worrying, especially if it is happening more and more frequently, and is out of character. Bearing this in mind, try and put their mind at ease and communicate to them the fact that you just need a little time to yourself.
If you are a loved one, and feel that someone close to you is becoming more and more isolated, look out for signs of depression, and the fact that your loved one may not be coping with life as much as they have been previously. On the other hand however, just because they are more isolated, this does not automatically mean they are depressed.
They may genuinely just need some time to themselves, and the fact of the matter is that you probably know them just as well as anyone else does, so you will more than likely be in the best position to indicate whether this is something more than just needing a little solitude. Communicate with them respectfully, bearing in mind their wishes, and consider their current actions in light of what may be going on in their lives.
