Table 1.

Themes and subthemes of the participants’ experiences of loneliness

Themes Experiences of relationships	Subthemes
	Interactions in relationships	Interpersonal styles
	Unavailable interpersonal interactions Loss of meaningful interpersonal interactions ‘A grave. It was at a grave like this where my loneliness and life alone started.’ Absence of current meaningful interpersonal interactions Meaningful interpersonal interactions Regular contact ‘You know … in my room there are always people, so I am never alone.’ Variety of interactions	Ineffective interpersonal Styles ‘They don’t want me anymore. It feels like I don’t exist to them anymore.’ Effective interpersonal styles ‘There is nothing in my life that has happened that she doesn’t know about … she stood by me through sickness … she stands by you … the great thing about her is that she doesn’t talk out.’
Relationships in context	Unsafe environment ‘Confidentiality is non-existing, it’s non-existing, because before we know something, they know it.’ Environment lacking in care ‘You talk to a person and the person hears you, but he doesn’t really understand what you mean.’ Non-stimulating environment ‘Time, there is too much time on your hands … you can’t do anything … there is nothing to do …’