I t’s common to use the words "lonely" and "alone" as if they mean the exact same thing. But do they? Many of us feel a sudden pang of unease when we see someone sitting by themselves in a cafe. Or perhaps you feel a similar sense of anxiety when you have no idea what to do on a weekend if you are all by yourself. There is a particular kind of silence that settles in when the door closes and the world retreats. If you have ever sat in that quietness and felt a sudden pang in your chest—a question of “Is something missing?” —please know that you are not the only one asking. This feeling often creeps back after that Netflix series ends, when you stop playing a game, or when you get bored of doom-scrolling. The distraction fades, and the silence returns. Then what do you do? Aloneness vs. Loneliness: Which is Which? It is helpful to gently untangle the threads of "aloneness" and "loneliness." While they often look the same from the outside, they fee...

  Loneliness Among Adolescents Who are Users of Chatbot Companionship and  Non-Users. Anmol Purbia 1 , Elizabeth Jasmine 2 , Jayashree S 3 1 Student, Masters in Counseling Psychology, Indian Institute of Psychology and Research (IIPR), Bangalore, India. 2 Professor of Psychology, Indian Institute of Psychology and Research (IIPR), Bangalore, India. 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Indian Institute of Psychology and Research (IIPR), Bangalore, India.   Abstract This research explores the intricate relationship between chatbot companionship and adolescent loneliness among students in Secondary Education and Higher Secondary Education. As loneliness remains a widespread concern among adolescents, exacerbated by digital interactions that often fall short of fulfilling emotional needs, this study examines how chatbot companionship, a rising AI-driven technology, affects loneliness and explores potential gender differences. Using a quantitative re...