mr. lonely

This article contends that between 1985 and 2004, the number of Americans who said they had no close confidants tripled.

The US Census estimates 30 percent more Americans will live alone in 2010 than did so in 1980, it adds.

I think possibly the worst kind of loneliness is when you're surrounded by other people but still feel more lonely than ever.

The sensation often comes post-college, when immersion in the real world makes you surrounded by friends who don't necessarily share your major, your partying habits or your sense of humor.

At which point in life did you learn to separate being alone and being lonely?