Being alone, but not lonely, can be a fount of personal progress

Being isolated, whether during a pandemic or not, does not have to be a bad thing, psychologists say. — Christin Klose/dpa

Solitude, loneliness, isolation... We give many names to the phenomenon of not being around other people, most of them negative. It can feel like a curse, but psychologists say being alone can also be a blessing, even when it's forced on you during a pandemic.

"Being alone is a natural part of the human condition," says Sonia Lippke, a professor of health psychology and behavioural medicine at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany. Some people enjoy being alone and recognise its benefits, while others can hardly bear it. "But it doesn't have to frighten you," Lippke says.