Being Lonely Different Than Being a Loner

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - British researchers say that loneliness, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder.

Not all loners are lonely, and not all lonely people are actually alone, according to a new report by the United Kingdom's Mental Health Foundation .

The report, entitled " The Lonely Society? " states that loneliness is not about being physically alone. Loneliness is about an individual's personality, how they experience of isolation, and how they evaluate it.

In short: a loner gets pleasure and satisfaction from solitude; a lonely person doesn't.

"A loner can be perfectly content with their own company, while being alone will make another person utterly miserable," psychologist Ros Taylor told the BBC .

The research also found that more than one in 10 people often feel lonely, that the modern way of living is isolating people from each other and causing loneliness, and that feeling alone is directly linked to poor physical and mental health.

The study also revealed that 35 percent of people would like to live closer to their family and see them more often, as many now live further away from their families to pursue careers and education opportunities.

And technology may not be the solution to loneliness.

The report finds that one in five people say they spend too much time communicating with family and friends online when they should see them in person.

Women are more likely than men to feel lonely sometimes, and females are more likely to feel depressed because of loneliness compared to men, according to the report.

The report also claims that people feel pressure to be "productive" and busy, and as a consequence neglect vital relationships with friends and family.

"Changes to the way we live are putting an increasing number of people at risk of loneliness, which can lead to health problems if chronic," says Andrew McCulloch chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation in a release . "People who find themselves feeling lonely should not have to feel uncomfortable talking about it or asking for help."