[menomatter]

How do they define loneliness? A lot of people are alone but content. Also the older I get the harder it becomes to maintain friendships. People move on socially, financially and geographically.

[scandox]

"Solitary" is what you're referring to. Loneliness is by definition a sad condition: "sadness because one has no friends or company."

[panaffa]

Good distinction. I spend time with enough people. Loneliness as I feel it is despair at not being deeply understood and unconditionally loved. Which by the way is practically impossible and an inherent flaw of the human design.