I tend to be a loner, too. Family forces socialization on me which is okay because they are my family, and I'm very selective about friends. I have to go out to dinner with some longtime friends three weeks from now and I already dread it.
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I can relate so much to what some people have written in this thread, especially when it comes to the difference between being alone and being lonely. People around me always acted and spoke like being alone was not normal, that it was a something unhealthy. But I could never quite agree with that. I often don't understand when people say they feel lonely, I can't see how being on your own is a problem. Everyone acts as if having human connections is necessary to live a happy live, but I only see it as a necessity to live in society, not something that I internally crave. It feels like I have to maintain a social life because this is what is expected of me, it's the norm. I would spend time with friends at school, but going out with them in my free time felt too bothersome, it was like I'd have no time for me to breathe.
All I need are a few online and text interactions, because I somehow feel like those are easier to 'control'. It's really frustrating for me when I hear people say that online interactions are 'isolating' people, that people don't have 'real' interactions anymore and so on. I personnally see it as a way for people with social difficulties to actually have easier interactions. It can be really accommodating for some people and I don't see anything wrong with that. It also makes it easier to find people with whom I share common interests so that we have clear discussions subjects other than uninteresting small talk. Although I do enjoy a few persons' company, I really don't mind being on my own. I could spend days locked up at home without any social interactions and it would not bother me. I wouldn't get sad nor depressed, I only find it relaxing because it's a time where I just don't have to think about social interactions, I feel like I can actually 'recharge' if that makes any sense. I enjoy my own company, and it gives me time to indulge in activities that I enjoy without the fear of being interrupted nor having to worry about talking and figuring how to expressing my thoughts.
I do enjoy being around people without necessarily talking, I guess I enjoy their presence and observing them rather than my interactions with them. I'd also rather have individual friends rather that a large group of friends, because talking one on one is a lot easier. I can tell when the other is expecting me to talk, like when they ask me questions and so on. If there are more than two persons I can no longer take part in the conversation as I have no idea when to jump in or not. Having fewer friends also allows me to interact with them more often so that they won't feel like I abandonned them or stopped caring, which is simply not true. I'd rather focus on having one deep and meaningful relationship where I can get invested rather than having a bunch of acquaintances that I wouldn't be able to keep track of.
That's kind of a "loaded question" to me. Yes, I live as a recluse. Yes, I do so completely alone.
Let's just say that I prefer routinely living alone as opposed to routinely occupying living space with another human being. While on select occasions I can experience loneliness, it never surpasses a relative feeling of contentment in not having to struggle in so many ways with the sharing of my personal space with others.