If anything possibly 5. I deal with allergies and asthma but have been called a faker. It takes a special person not to notice rashes, watery eyes, stuffiness, wheezy breathing. It isn't to a dangerous, life threatening level but damn if it doesn't cause me serious discomfort and limitations.

I’m not sure if I’m lonely or I just enjoy being alone. I’m an introvert and being around people is exhausting for me. But I have major depression and worry I take it too far and am actually isolating.

Besides my parents I don’t have a lot of people in my life. I quit drinking and as a result, I’ve lost friends. It’s a fine line that I’m traveling on and probably needs further looking into.

My parents died when I was a teen. This affected me psychologically and I had great feelings of not being a part of something even though I come from a large family. I struck out on my own and tried to find where I belong. It was very difficult but I believe I have come into my own person which is probably why this group is attractive. Then I found after I got therapy that I grew up with ADHD and depression and such. That couldn't have helped either.

I didn't think I was lonely, until I read your preamble. I think I'm so used to 1. It's not a big deal, I've chosen it over being unhappy in a relationship. Time will tell if that will change.
3. I do get homesick for Australia, but when I'm there I miss friends in England; so can never, 'have it all'.
4. I miss my more intelligent and in synch friends, but this site is good. There are many people and comments that I can relate to and I'm learning, which I love.
5. Yes, I've suffered trauma, but I don't necesarily feel alone in that and am somewhat reconciled with it. But it does confuse people when they realise that I don't have a lucrative income as I'm not great with stress.
6. I know I'll die, I need to update my will again. Have a nice cardboard casket picked out with a floral print and a plot in some woodlands, so that's pretty much sorted. I miss my dead friends. A bizarre existance, but a beautiful one much of the time.
I hope you find some volunteer work or a better place to be where you won't feel as lonely Literate Hiker.

I can honestly say, none of the above.
There are friends I miss seeing regularly, but that's only because we don't live near one another.
I don't feel lonely, and being alone is not a problem.

@LiterateHiker -- Well, my friend, I can tell you right now that IQ has little or nothing to do with your dilemma. I have been alone a great deal. I have been lonely on extremely rare occasions and for very short periods.

I suggest you take your mind off of how intelligent you are and begin to focus on what psychological factors figure into your personal problem, then set about doing what can be done to eliminate or ameliorate them.

Your list of 1 through 6 could be reduced to the condition we call loneliness resulting from any one or combination of situations to which the individual is subjected. The end result is the same, but the problem is internal.

By the way, you can't stand in a rainbow.

Lith-Ike, Can't help you with 1 or 2.

But, I know this website is great for 4.

I've made quite a few friends in less than three months. I wish I knew what the average IQ was here, because everyone here is so thoughtful and and a terrific communicator.

I read recently, on here I think, that intelligence is more intimidating to men than anything else. I don't have that problem and I don't think anyone else here does.

I will also admit sometimes I feel lonely as well. Funny thing is the only one item that applies is #1. Everything else I have plenty of but sometimes familarity breeds boredom. It would be nice to have more variety and an occasional someone else to spend time and commune with. I like to drive and wouldn't even mind an occasional road trip. Odd, I sometimes feel lonely but also need alone time to feel free! A real conundrum.

After I broke up with my second, long term partner I was glad to be alone and found a great social group. We were all single and did things from hiking, potlucks, movies and travel so I didn't feel lonely. Another person came along and she was nice but I could see the relationship becoming boring in the long run. The next one was totally unsuitable as an intimate friend but, after over 20 years (she is now married) we are still friends. She lives in another city but I commute to visit. My big problem is that my last long-term relationship was so great I have gotten spoiled and miss a certain intimacy I haven't gotten in my local, albeit active, community.

Kathleen, I think it's wonderful that you know yourself well and that you strive to understand yourself. What you write applies to many of us.
So much of our existence is the Yin & Yang of who we are, the pulling in opposite directions.
Controlled by our moods, men & women.

What loses me with people is when their personality dominates. To me that is something that is outwardly projected, not an insight into who they are.
Which at the point of their of dominating personality intersecting with my inner, honest self.... I can no longer care or submit to "who" they are. They've now become "what" they are.

All apply to me except #6 and a tad bit of #'s 1 & 5

I feel 1,3,4 and 5. I have never had the luxury of being around people I could consider peers, so while i have very rarely felt social rejection, I have felt social isolation. I went through 5 years of a Christian mennonite schooling system without being apart of there belief system while being brought up in a religiously neutral household ie no stated viewpoints. I just joined here because I unfortunately discovered that atheists are 1 in 10 and my likelyhood of finding like minded friends or potential mates in the normal fashion is abysmally low.

My cats help. I accept resposibility for for my lonliness (sort of, at certain moments). There are, and were, choices being made. I also accept I'd rather hang with myself, than with people I'm, at best, neutral about. But it would be nice to have 2 or 3 close friends, and a circle of 5 or 6 more casual ones.

I've read all of the comments here. Mostly what I'm curious about is where y'all are getting these routine IQ exams?

1 2 3 and possibly 5.Everybody has 6.

For me 1, 2, 3, and 4. Not that I don't like to be alone. There are times I need to be alone. I want to live a partnership and still be able to share each others need for space alone. I am one of many topics and favor, history and science and not necessary a religious topic which I think the word religion should be changed to believers and non-believers.

I experience relief at getting to go home and be by myself. I don't know that I've ever been lonely. I have never needed anybody else to entertain me and that may make a difference in how I experience being alone.

I am lonely a lot of the time. My "work" life (the music side, at least; writing is by nature solitary) is populated by mostly people younger than me, and I'm close to a few of them, but not many.

Majorly lonely. 1 and 6, although I have no plans on kicking the bucket anytime soon.

I work long hours and mix with a variety of people thru that, I also have time with my daughter regularly every week, there are the odd occassions when it would be nice to share the days events but not enough to make me want to change and give up my solitude and down time. I guess if the right person just hove into view it would all fit with no sacrifice but I'm realistic enough to know that ain't gonna happen but I like my own company and always have.
And out of your list No5 is the only one that would come close

For me, 1, 2, 4, and 5 would apply.

I suffer from one, two, four, and six.