Human beings are instinctively social animals. It is natural for us to feel alone or lonely when we are isolated from others. The absence of social connection triggers the same, primal alarm bells as hunger, thirst and physical pain.”
Put simply, “Humans don’t do well if they’re alone.”
However, modern life, with all of its conveniences, has led to a sharp increase in isolation. As a result, loneliness is on the rise.
When we find ourselves becoming isolated, we should take that as a warning sign that we may turning against ourselves in some basic way. The path of isolation leads to loneliness, despair, and even depression.
When we feel lonely, we often tend to beat ourselves up and think that something is just wrong with us. The more alone we feel, the more we start to have thoughts of not belonging or of feeling rejected by others. Left alone with our thoughts, we become our own worst enemy. An isolated space is the perfect breeding ground for negative, self-critical thoughts.
Next Steps
Although, temporary times of loneliness are common and can pass quickly, loneliness can be a chronic condition with serious, harmful effects on both one’s physical and mental health. The effects of long-term loneliness on psychical health include, diminished sleep quality, weakened health, and even increased mortality. While the effects on one’s mental health include depression, timidity, misremembering, and focus on exclusion rather than inclusion. Counselling will help you to come out of the condition. Contact me for the further assistance.
Health Tips
1. Give the emotion full expression. Let the emotion take center stage. Especially if you are used to distracting yourself from your feelings, this exercise may feel uncomfortable. But if you let yourself feel the emotion 100%, it may just move through you more quickly: Observe the sensations of the emotion, notice the thoughts that it triggers, cry if tears come. Be with the discomfort fully.
2. Go into silence. Silence can be difficult and even scary for some people. We are used to televisions blaring background noise, car radios jingling, iPods playing, text messages beeping, cell phones ringing, Facebook notifications pinging, tweets tweeting, and emails downloading. Set yourself a time limit for the silence, such as half an hour. If you wish, you can take a walk during that time or engage in a relaxed form of exercise like swimming. Makes sure that the activity is not one that becomes a distraction. Choose to do something that simply allows you to be in silence. Be as present as you can with everything around you and within you.
3. Engage in mindful meditation. No longer deemed an exotic, esoteric, or mystical activity, meditation has become mainstream. Though meditation is very simple, it also can require great courage. Simply be with the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise without trying to control or change them. Observe them with the kindness of a mother watching her child at play. Be patient. If the emotions get uncomfortable, muster up your valor, strength, tenacity, and patience. Set yourself a time limit and do not get up until the time is over. You can start with five minutes and eventually work up to sitting for 20 or 30 minutes at a time.
4.Fall in love with yourself. “If you make friends with yourself, you will never be alone,” wrote Maxwell Maltz. We often run from solitude for the same reasons we run from loneliness. We fear being alone. But being alone also means doing what you please. You can dance at your own rhythm, eat whatever you fancy, watch the movies you wish to watch, and make choices that are entirely your own! Being alone is often the only time we can truly rest, undistracted, unstimulated by the environment and other people.