A loner is a person described as not seeking out, actively avoiding, or failing to maintain

interpersonal relationships In social psychology, an interpersonal relation (or interpersonal relationship) describes a social association, connection, or affiliation between two or more people. It overlaps significantly with the concept of social relations, which ar ...

. There are many potential causes for this

solitude Solitude, also known as social withdrawal, is a state of seclusion or isolation, meaning lack of socialisation. Effects can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may wo ...

. Intentional causes include

introversion Extraversion and introversion are a central trait dimension in human personality theory. The terms were introduced into psychology by Carl Jung, though both the popular understanding and current psychological usage are not the same as Jung's o ...

mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute, but may refer to any kind of Religious ecstasy, ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or Spirituality, spiritual meani ...

, spirituality, religion, or personal considerations. Unintentional causes involve high sensitivity or shyness. Multiple reported types of loners exist, and individuals meeting the criteria for being called loners often practice social interactions with other individuals while displaying a variable degree of

leading them to seek out periodic solitude.

Terminology

According to some sociologists and associations, the modern term ''loner'' can be used in the context of the belief that human beings are social creatures and that those who do not participate are deviants. However, the term is sometimes depicted culturally as positive, and indicative of a degree of independence and responsibility. Someone who is a recluse or romantically solitary can be referred to by the terms ''singleton'' and ''nonwedder''. According to Elizabeth Follmer, the term is often used to describe a perceived hatred for other people, leading perceived loners to being viewed as outcast or misfit.

Overview and possible characteristics

There are different types of loners, including individuals who prefer

and limited social interaction. The first type includes individuals that are forced into isolation because they are, or feel as though they are, rejected by society, and may experience

loneliness Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived or actual isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism that motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perc ...

. A second type of individuals described as loners includes those who regularly practice social interaction, while also spending extended periods of time in solitude, without experiencing feelings of loneliness. A third type of loner is described as not experiencing loneliness during long periods of solitude, or in a different way to how forcibly isolated individuals practicing social interaction would. However, individuals often experience all three types interchangeably. The term is often associated with introversion, due to perceived loners having innate personality traits and life experiences. In

psychiatry Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of deleterious mental disorder, mental conditions. These include matters related to cognition, perceptions, Mood (psychology), mood, emotion, and behavior. ...

, individuals being loners is sometimes associated to different mental disorders. Some individuals described as loners have

alexithymia Alexithymia, also called emotional blindness, is a neuropsychological phenomenon characterized by significant challenges in recognizing, expressing, feeling, sourcing, and describing one's emotions. It is associated with difficulties in attachme ...

, characterized by the inability to identify and describe emotions. Other disorders and illnesses associated with the term include

social anxiety disorder Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by sentiments of fear and anxiety in social situations, causing considerable distress and impairing ability to function in at least some asp ...

borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant interpersonal relationship instability, an acute fear of Abandonment (emotional), abandonment, and intense emotiona ...

avoidant personality disorder Avoidant personality disorder (AvPD), or anxious personality disorder, is a cluster C personality disorder characterized by excessive social anxiety and inhibition, fear of intimacy (despite an intense desire for it), severe feelings of inade ...

, depression,

autism Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing d ...

, and

schizoid personality disorder Schizoid personality disorder (, often abbreviated as SzPD or ScPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness, ...

. The characteristics associated with the term are often attributed to non-human animals such as leopards, whose behaviour is usually defined by voluntary solitude. When expressing the desire to solitude, individuals described as loners may not reject human contact entirely. A person who avoids social interaction with colleagues beyond what is required for work or school responsibilities, mainly for practical reasons such as avoiding the complication of non-personal life, is often found to be highly charismatic during social gatherings with people outside of work or schoolor vice versa.

References

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External links

Article about loners in Psychology Today
Human behavior Pejorative terms for people

Terminology

Overview and possible characteristics

See also

References

External links