There are times in life that are just downright lonely. Maybe you moved to a new town and don’t know anyone yet, or your old friends and relatives have moved away and you’re finding a lot of time alone is wearing on you. Loneliness is about more than just being physically alone: it’s about not feeling included or important in society and for those around you. Fortunately there are a number of approaches to loneliness that really work.
1. Reach Out
Loneliness can sometimes be an untrustworthy companion. It will tell us we’re worth nothing, irrelevant or not needed. Sometimes reaching out to talk to friends or get involved in new activities can help ease your loneliness. Even if you’re in a situation where seeing people in person is not an option, having talks online or over the phone as well as getting involved in common interest groups such as playing games online can start to make you feel a little less isolated and realize you are worth a lot and others appreciate you.¹
2. Replan
Even if you have the chance to go out and meet people or strike up new casual friends, this doesn’t always cure or even significantly help your loneliness. You might feel your interests or personality or life circumstances simply make it hard to get close with other people right now. In this case it is a good idea to replan your priorities and look into some pursuits and goals that can take up all your attention and refocus you away from feelings of isolation. This could mean work, hobbies or even working on inner self-development, diet and fitness.²
3. New Interests And Activities
This is related to the above recommendation, but if you’re feeling very lonely and bored Netflix isn’t always the answer. Maybe you can look into getting a puppy and taking it for walks, starting a new one-person board game, setting up a badminton court in your backyard and inviting some friends over to play, going to an e-gaming tournament or even building some small furniture like cabinets or tables. While you won’t necessarily feel perfectly cured of loneliness you will be quite absorbed in what you’re doing as well as learning new skills and having fun.³
4. Get Moving
Exercise and going for walks or runs can really raise our mood and help nix loneliness. When the endorphins get flowing and you feel secure and confident in your body you can begin to come at your feelings of loneliness from a more can-do, positive perspective and will have more patience for dealing with an unsatisfactory situation in the present moment.²
5. Reorient
Sometimes the best thing we can do when we feel absolutely alone is try to help others in a similar boat. Try signing up to volunteer at a retirement home or with a local group that provides meals to the poor. Spend time talking to an old friend about their problems or think about something nice you can do for your parents or a sibling. These can reorient you away from your feelings of isolation and give you a sense of accomplishment and being useful.¹
6. Know Your Limit
Loneliness is like many other things in life that can be difficult: everyone has a limit. If loneliness is causing you to become severely depressed, give up on interacting with people or even considering self-harm then it is time to reach out to mental healthcare professionals and seek help. There is no shame in admitting that your situation and mental and emotional state is too much for you to handle at the moment and seeking help.³
[1] https://psychcentral.com/blog/10-more-ideas-to-help-with-loneliness/
[2] https://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a25783805/dealing-with-loneliness/
[3] https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/loneliness/7-tips-for-how-to-deal-with-loneliness/