Looking at loneliness.

This short film, although socially rather out-dated, provides a detailed and informative account of how pathological loneliness (as opposed to reactive loneliness) arises and what can be done to help a chronically lonely person. The film utilises the story of Edgar Christian, a young man who travelled to Canada to 'live off the land' with his cousin and who kept a diary which reveals his state of mind while living in severe isolation following the death of his cousin. However the programme surmises that he did not suffer from 'pathological loneliness' because of the following four conditions: 1. He had a goal - survival, 2. He could see an end to loneliness, 3. He was mentally stimulated as he was constantly vigilant, 4. He had a structure to his day. The programme applies these four factors to modern social life and to a variety of social groups in order to show how loneliness leading to severe mental illness can be avoided.