Loneliness is a silent killer. It doesn't quite have the same cause as cancer or heart disease, so it doesn't have a solid solution. But that doesn't mean we should ignore it. In fact, one in four adults suffer from loneliness, and they don't share their feelings with anyone. That's why it's important for us to learn how to battle the feeling of loneliness together. The longer we feel lonely, the more at risk we are of mental health problems like depression and anxiety. So please read on for some tips that can help you battle loneliness and protect your mental health!
7 Ways To Battles Loneliness
Try Enjoyable Activities
Try activities that are enjoyable and keep you busy. This could be anything from reading, painting, hiking, biking, going to the gym, or cooking. It's important to find an activity that you can really lose yourself in so that you can take your mind off of your loneliness.
Spending Time With Pets
If your lucky enough, spend time with pets or animals. If you don't have any close friends or family nearby, spending time with pets or animals can be a great way to reduce loneliness. They provide companionship and unconditional love that can help boost your mood and mental health. Studies have shown that cats can offer mental benefits such as reducing anxiety and stress with there purrs as well as 'healing powers' with their moderately high frequency purrs.
Emotional support pets are nowadays very popular and can be anything from a dog, cat, rabbit, bird or even a snake. They are there to designed to bring comfort and minimize the negative symptoms the person's emotional or psychological disability. If you feel this could be something your interested in look more into it as the benefits could be greatly rewarding.
Find Something To Stimulate The Mind
Involve something that can stimulate your mind. When we are lonely, we often dwell on negative thoughts. To combat this, try to find an activity that can stimulate your mind and keep you thinking positively. For example, you could try doing a puzzle, playing a game, or learning a new language.
Get Involved With The Community
Find people that ‘get you’. When we feel lonely, it's often because we don't feel understood by the people around us. Try to find friends or groups of people who share your interests and can relate to you on a deeper level. This could be anything from a book club, support group, hobby group, or even an online community. When we feel like we belong somewhere, our loneliness often fades away.
This leads onto the next point, try get involved in your community. There are likely many events and activities happening near you that you could get involved in. Joining a club, volunteering, or attending a religious service are all great ways to meet new people and reduce your loneliness.
Feel at Home
A cosy home is a great place to relax, feel comfortable and de-stress. If you live alone, try to make your living space as inviting as possible. This could mean adding some plants, buying some cosy blankets, or hanging up some art that you love. Whatever makes you feel at home, do it! Remember, if you don't have the greenest fingers, then there is the option of buying faux plants, they look as real as the real ones. This tip can also be used for your bedroom if you still live with your parents and even as far as your temporary university accommodation.
Exercising
Not only is exercising great for your physical health, but also for your mental to. When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. So next time you're feeling lonely, put on your sneakers and go for a walk or run! It may not be peoples first choice when they are feeling lonely but after some time you may find it was the best decision you made.
If exercising by alone makes you feel anxious, then there are other options like joining a sports team or taking group classes at the gym to make it less stressful. Remember everyone had to start from somewhere.
It's Okay To Ask For Help
Finally, if you're feeling really lonely, don't be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist can help you understand your loneliness and work on ways to cope with it. So please don't hesitate to reach out for help if you need it. Check your local resources by visiting the NHS website
How Can We Support People Who Feel Lonely?
We should also support people in our lives that may be going through mental health issues such as loneliness. If you have a friend or family member who is struggling, make sure to check in on them and see how they're doing. Sometimes, all it takes is a listening ear and some compassion to help someone feel less alone in the world. Try to make groups welcoming especially because it can be difficult to join new clubs and communities.
Mental health should be taken as seriously as physical health and we should do what we can to take care of our mental health.
We shouldn't don't judge or stigmatise mental health as 45% of adults feel occasionally, sometimes or often feel lonely in England. This equates to twenty five million people. The stigma around loneliness is a huge barrier to the kind of open and genuine conversations that can help us feel less alone and more connected. So let's all do our part to break the stigma and start talking about mental health!
Bottom Line
"You're not alone in this"
Loneliness is a silent killer, but we can battle it by taking small steps. Try out some of the tips above and see what works for you. And remember, you're not alone in this fight! Mental health awareness week is a great time to start the conversation about loneliness and how to battle it. So please reach out to your friends and family, and let's work together to break the silence around loneliness.
If you think these tips have been helpful, check these articles which can help you further with the feeling of loneliness.
