Can I be happy being alone?

When a person has been single for a long time, those around them begin to think that something is wrong with them. Maybe you have a lot of insecurities, or there is just something about your character that makes it difficult for you to find a partner and maintain a relationship. In addition, It is common to believe that this single man or woman leads a sad life.

But it’s not always the case. A survey – published in the Personality Journal — discovered that there are those who do not need to have a partner by their side to be happy and successful.

In fact, there are more and more single people in the world. Without going any further, 51% of Chileans said they do not have a partner according to a survey by the consulting firm GfK in 2020. In other words, more than half of Chile would be alone.

And there are those who prioritize their career and personal goals before looking for love. But there’s also the fact that in today’s world and technology, getting a date and maintaining someone else’s interest has become quite a challenge.

So the question is: Is this half of Chile unhappy simply because they don’t have a partner? Is it possible to achieve complete happiness while being single in the long term? That’s what science says.

According to the researchers and psychologists responsible for the study, in an article in The conversation they assured that There is an “attachment theory of relationships” that “categorizes” people and the way they interact with their partners or loving suitors.

This suggests that The relationships we have with others are determined by our levels of anxiety and avoidance. There are three types of attachments:

• Anxious attachment: People feel insecure and fear that their partner will abandon them.
• Avoidant attachment: people will avoid discomfort and closeness with their partners.
• Secure attachment: They report lower levels of anxiety and avoidance. They have security and confidence in themselves and their partners.

Knowing the above, the group of psychologists conducted a survey among 482 young singles and 400 older singles. This is how they found out that 78% of singles fall into the “insecure” category, while 22% exhibit secure attachment characteristics.

They also found that 37% of “anxious” singles worry too much about whether others like them and fear being rejected. This group tends to be the one that worries the most about being single: “They have lower self-esteem, feel less supported by their loved ones and have some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction.”

For its part, “Avoidant” singles are less interested in a romantic relationship and seem content to be single. However, they have fewer friends and close relationships, have less meaning in life and are less happy.

However, “Secure” singles are satisfied with their singlehood, have more non-romantic relationships, and better relationships with family and friends. “They satisfy their sexual needs outside of romantic relationships and feel happier with their lives overall.”

In other words, the results indicate that Yes, you can be happy being single, but it all depends on the type of attachment you have (anxious, avoidant, or secure).

“Our findings highlight that many single people are secure and successful, but also that “More work can be done to help single people in precarious situations feel more secure and promote happiness.” the authors wrote.