“Wander alone, like a rhinoceros,” advises the Rhinoceros Sutra, one of the earliest Buddhist scriptures. The pratyekabuddhas (enlightened beings who attain liberation without the aid of a mentor) of prehistory might have trodden their paths alone, however for most of us, wandering alone for too long will make us lonely. It is natural to feel like this every now and then. However, if the loneliness begins to choke off our sense of being connected to others, or to chip away at our hope of belonging, then we know that it has become an existential malady. Not all who read this article might be religious, but the worst kind of loneliness cuts deep into our very core and makes us lose our sense of meaning and place in the world, a very spiritual concern.

There is obviously a distinction between solitariness and loneliness. We all need space to be alone, to enjoy privacy, and to attend to our interior being, and this differs among people. Many introverts, for example, hate being thrust in social situations not of their choosing or timing. They need their time alone to recharge, prefer the company of a few good friends, and can feel lonely or isolated when surrounded by a sea of people at a party. Extroverts might thrive in social situations, but often feel lonely and more anxious when they are not with people. They can even be lonely while apparently having numerous friendships that might in reality prove to be rather shallow. Indeed, ignoring or filling up our interior with too much noise and interaction is just another route to loneliness.

Everyone has encountered loneliness in one circumstance or another. One might have family or friends who do not understand one’s mindset and aspirations. This can be isolating in a frustrating way. When we feel that no one cares, as if we are deprived of human contact and relationships, or if we do not feel understood or accepted among those we are in contact with, we might start feeling stuck and unable to reach out for relatable company or help.

The fact is that one’s wellbeing dramatically drops once feelings of isolation become a regular pattern. There is no small number of people in both developed and emerging economies who feel lonely or isolated. Loneliness is a true emotional pandemic: in one poll, nearly half of people in the US say they are “sometimes” or “always” feeling alone (46 per cent) or left out (47 per cent).

Loneliness has become such a concern in modern life that Britain has appointed its first minister of loneliness, Tracey Couch. Couch told the HuffPost that a couple of particuar cases she had come across since taking up the post had resonated with her. One was a professional who had moved to London for a good job but felt “incredibly lonely because she gets up, she goes to work, and then when she gets back there’s nothing.” She also mentioned one of her constituents, an older man whose wife had died years ago, who, although he felt extremely lonely, was unable to articulate that loneliness until he could put it into words: “The announcement [that he was feeling terrible from his wife’s loss] helped him identify that he was lonely and he wanted to know if there were any projects locally that he could get involved in.” (HuffPost)