This study investigated the differences between descriptions of the lived experiences of painful loneliness
and comfortable aloneness. Loneliness, is documented as a modern-day social problem, associated with
psychic pain and suffering and myriad mental and physical health problems. Uncomplicated, comfortable
or neutral aloneness, is scarce in the literature, with allusions to the possibility that people may never feel
lonely. The 'essences' of the experience ofpainfol loneliness have been gathered from the literature, while
the 'essences' of the experience of comfortable aloneness have been gathered interviews with five people
who are comfortable or ambivalent about their aloneness. The qualitative methods of heuristic and
phenomenological research have been used to interpret and make sense of the raw data generated. It was
found that the subjective experiences of aloneness and loneliness are fundamentally different, and that the
thoughts, meanings and realities associated with either state are similarly disparate. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/17164 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Lake, Tracy Melanie |
| Contributors | Ferns, Ilse, 1961-, Flowers, D. M. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 electronic resources (106 leaves) |
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