of the emotional shield

I've learned one thing from a friend. Being alone keeps anyone from hurting me and keeps me from hurting others. He explained that it could be an emotional shield, an emotional preservation. He still stressed the fact that man is not an island. Man can never live without other people's help. Indeed, man needs others help to survive. This does not speak entirely of the emotional but of the physical and psychological aspects of a person.
Being alone is not living alone per se. It is how a person live his life without any emotional bond to an opposite sex and being able to interact and deal with other people harmoniously at the same time. In this way, one can protect himself from any emotional distress that usually occur within a relationship. Others may think of it as a selfish manner. Others may oppose to this. However, this emotional shield is one way to avoid any thought that may lead to self destruction.