I'm a bit protective of lonely people. In my opinion, if you're brave enough to admit you're lonely, you should be praised. It's a tough thing to say to someone, because there are so many negative perceptions that go along with this image of "being lonely."
People think all kinds of things when you admit that you're lonely. I remember years ago I made a bold move out of the state and was in an entirely new city. It was hard to make friends all over again. I left behind many friends, and while it was great to talk to them on the phone, it wasn't the same as having them there with me. At the time, I felt pretty lonely on a day-to-day basis.
Eventually, I made new friends. But as anyone who has been in that situation knows, it took time. In the meantime, I was afraid to tell people just how lonely I really was. I didn't want them to think I couldn't make friends or something. Isn't that silly? I look back on that time in my life and wonder what the big deal was.
But this is how it is when you're lonely sometimes. You think other people are going to laugh at you if you tell them the truth. That's just one misconception about loneliness. Here are five more.