Loneliness in a pandemic

What does it mean to be lonely? Is it the feeling of not being wanted, of emptiness, or of being alone? Or is it all of the above? Maybe it’s how we crave human connection—physical touch, emotional support, or simply someone to talk to. Whatever the reason, loneliness is something we all experience from time to time.

For me, loneliness feels like being truly alone. Over the past few days, I found myself craving someone’s presence—someone to talk to and share a moment with. Normally, I would distract myself by watching a K-drama, like I’ve been doing all quarantine, but this time, it wasn’t enough. The loneliness started to irritate me, gnawing at the edges of my sanity.

Keep in mind that I have no friends, and the only people I talk to are my family. It was inevitable that I’d crave connection. But the realization hit hard—I didn’t even have anyone to tell that I felt lonely. I began to see how much I lacked in terms of human relationships.

I thought about going out for brunch, but there was no one to ask. Plus, in the middle of a pandemic, it’s not like I could casually invite a stranger. Then I considered taking myself on a movie date, something I used to love doing when I felt lonely. But again, the pandemic had other plans—the theaters were closed.

As the loneliness deepened, I started to spiral. I told myself I should value my own time and not depend on human interaction for happiness. I thought about all those posts on Twitter preaching self-love—how we’re supposed to cherish our alone time and not need anyone else. Then I started wondering if I even loved myself at all. That thought alone made me feel like I was losing it.

Desperate to shake off the feeling, I ordered some food and turned on a K-drama. I told myself to stop overthinking because the more I dwelled on it, the worse it got. Surprisingly, the food and distraction helped. I felt a lot better.

Eventually, I realized something important: I do love myself. Feeling lonely doesn’t mean I don’t. Loneliness is a normal part of life, no matter how much self-love you have.

So, if you’re feeling lonely, know this—it’s okay. It’s completely normal. The feeling passes, even if it feels overwhelming at the moment. While I’m still figuring out how to build connections, I know now that loneliness is temporary, and we all find ways to get through it.