How should Buddhists deal with Loneliness

I don't know how many Buddhists actually reckon with loneliness and the (very real) suffering associated with it. It seems to me that a lot of Buddhist teachings emphasize on the value of solitude and deem intimate/personal relationships to be unwholesome karma, which ought to be readily forsaken. So what should an aspiring Buddhist do if he/she feels perpetually alone, constantly challenged with the near-impossible task of building deep, trusting and long-lasting relationships that are emotionally nourishing and fulfilling? Should he/she simply forget about such worldly pursuits and learn to live the life of a recluse in a good forest monastery? Or try to do something about this somewhat-unbearable State of Being? If the latter, what can the Dharma teach us about forging human connections that are increasingly loving, kind and deeply meaningful? ----- # Some Afterthought: From the Samana Johnann's comment and some of the answers below, it does show that Buddhism tend not to view Loneliness as a *problem* per se. We *do* need friends (and Teachers!) to provide consistent spiritual support in each of our paths towards Enlightenment, though. (And people who are lonely often find it hard to express and/or address their need in this respect.) Also, it is natural for humans, as social beings, to yearn for social bonding and some level of intimacy. I know many seasoned Yogi(ni)s can attest to the fact that one can be perfectly equanimous being alone in a meditative state. But are we missing out on something?