Loneliness – two sides to the story: adolescents’ lived experiences

Figures & data

Table 1. An example of the data analysis

Meaning unit	Condensed meaning unit	Code	Category	Main theme
… it’s frightening to be alone too. … the worse you feel the more you isolate yourself …  … it [loneliness] feels very empty … . in some way … It almost feels like I’m in another world than other people. That I see them, but they don’t see me. And I get very torn [by being invisible to others].	… it’s frightening to be alone too. it [loneliness] feels very empty … I see them, but they don’t see me. I get very torn [by being invisible to others]	to feel fear to feel empty to be invisible to feel anxious or troubled	Emptiness, anxiety, fear and invisibility	Negative experiences of involuntary loneliness
Well, most of the time I feel … much stronger and often when you are alone it gives you more time for reflection. Inside. So I think that always when I have done some things such as … well bigger things such as travelling or something like that by myself I have come out of it much stronger and have an understanding of what I want to do in the future or what kind of person I want to be and so on.	I feel much stronger when you are alone it gives you more time for reflection an understanding of what I want to do in the future or what kind of person I want to be	to gain strength or recharge to reflect, reflection deeper understanding of self	Reflection, recharging and personal growth	Positive experiences from self-chosen solitude

Table 2. Study finding

Main theme	Subtheme
Negative experiences of involuntary loneliness	Stressful and paralysing feeling and other physical symptoms
	Emptiness, anxiety, fear and invisibility
	Shame, self-blame and self-contempt
	Meaninglessness, hopelessness and exclusion
Positive experiences from self-chosen solitude	Freedom, calmness and recovery
	Creativity and meaningfulness
	Reflection, recharging and personal growth