There’s one thing worse than being alone: wishing you were.

The line contrasts physical solitude with the deeper misery of unwanted company. Being alone can be neutral or even restorative, but “wishing you were” alone implies you are trapped in a relationship, social setting, or environment that feels draining, unsafe, or inauthentic. The quote suggests that loneliness is not always the worst condition; sometimes the greater harm is the loss of agency and peace that comes from staying where you don’t want to be. It can be read as a warning against settling—socially or romantically—and as an argument for boundaries: choosing solitude may be healthier than enduring companionship that makes you long for escape.