By Khushi
Coping Mechanisms for Dealing with Loneliness
Generally, everyone experience loneliness in their lifetime. These feelings may arise particularly during times of stress, an uncertain event, a transitional phase of life, occasions or holidays. When you’re surrounded by merriment and see other people happy it can make you think about yourself and your life in a different way often causing you to feel a bit left alone. Believe it or not, several people suffer loneliness every year in varying degrees that has nothing to do with your lifestyle, but if the feeling is recurrent you might wanna try some effective approaches to alleviate the feeling:
Stay connected
Call up a friend or a family member, and share how you feel in the moment. Don’t be afraid to reach out and build connections around the neighbourhood and workplace. Try to make yourself included in their lives and let people in yours sometimes.
Volunteer
Participating in community activities, or joining groups or clubs that align with your interests, may help you to connect with like-minded individuals and provide opportunities to form new connections. It also brings the benefits of altruism helping you find more meaning in life.
Pets
Adopting pets like dogs and cats can prove beneficial and prevent loneliness. They provide companionship and emotional support and fight loneliness in several ways. Walking a dog opens up a community and is often a people magnet.
Self-Care
It is always a good idea to focus on oneself when feeling lonely, as it helps you better yourself and removes the feeling of loneliness. Self-care activities may include eating healthy, exercising, practising mindfulness, or engaging in creative hobbies. Joining a class or a running club may also improve your chances of social interaction.
Limit Social Media
While it may provide a false sense of connection from the rest of the world, social media may exacerbate feelings of loneliness. So keep in mind the amount of usage. Social media can increasingly affect the feeling of loneliness, causing FOMO or Fear of Missing Out, which in turn will develop feelings of alienation.
Focus on quality relationships
Nurture existing relationships by spending quality time with the people who uplift and support you. Whenever you receive invitations to social events from your acquaintances, try to accept them, even if you feel hesitant at first.
Seeking Professional Help
If feelings of loneliness persist, don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist who can provide guidance and support. Loneliness can often be a symptom of depression, social anxiety or other serious mental disorders, hence it is advisable to consider a therapist. They can provide you with tools to deal with it that may be hampering your mental health.
Remember that coping with loneliness is an ongoing process, and it’s important to be patient with yourself. Treat yourself with kindness and understanding and practice self-compassion. Feeling lonely is a common human experience and doesn’t define your worth. Experiment with different strategies and see what works best for you. If loneliness becomes a recurrent feeling, seeking professional help is a positive step towards betterment.
To read more about coping loneliness click here
References
Tags: #Loneliness #CopingMechanism #SelfCare #ReachingOut #Coping #Alone