Chestnut
Being alone is not the same as being lonely. I do think our childhood can create a need for either company or solitude. If you had siblings and a lively household that will be what you are used to. An only child can cope with solitude and may even dislike noisy groups. So I feel our upbringing is relevant.
I feel sorry for people who need others to bounce off all the time, because it's as though they can't bear their own company and their own thoughts. And it can't be good for you. Your brain needs to spend time with itself. I sometimes worry that the grandchildren are not getting enough 'alone time' because they are constantly with others from getting out of bed until they go back to bed.
But I was like that. I’m someone that needs a certain amount of me time and solitude. Which is why it hit me so hard when I found myself overwhelmed by loneliness.

