You may be confused between being “alone” and being “lonely”. Being alone refers to being physically away from friends, family, or other individuals. However, being lonely refers to a situation where you feel emotionally and mentally disconnected from others even when you are surrounded by others. The latter is a dangerous situation.
A study found that approximately 20.5% of adults aged 45 years in India are dealing with loneliness. Chronic loneliness is associated with health concerns such as loss of memory, premature death, cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety. The U.S. National Institute on Aging stated that loneliness is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
In this article, we shine some light on loneliness and the ways to deal with it.
Causes of loneliness
There is no single cause of loneliness as it is multifactorial, some of those causes are
1) Internal factors
Low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, and self-doubting can lead to chronic loneliness.
2) Psychological factors
Mental health issues (such as depression) and loneliness are interrelated. Both can increase the severity of each other.
3) Situation factors
Situations like a job change, settling into a new place, loss of a close one, or end of a relationship, illness, etc. can lead to chronic loneliness.
4) Personality factors
Feeling shy and awkward while interacting socially can lead to loneliness.
These factors may lead to symptoms like
- Decreased energy
- An overwhelming feeling of isolation
- Exhaustion
- Restlessness
- Difficulty in sleep
- Unable to concentrate
- Substance abuse
- Increased appetite
- Frequent sickness
- Increased screen time
Everyone in their lives has faced loneliness in some form or the other. It is important to recognize these symptoms and causes to prevent or overcome loneliness.
Here are five ways to overcome or prevent loneliness
1) Join an NGO or community service: Make sure to subscribe yourself to an organization that is contributing towards the cause you believe in. This way you can channel your loneliness into a feeling of empathy.
2) Maintain a journal: Writing is an excellent way to let go of all the jammed feelings inside you. Pen them down so that you can clearly track and analyze your thoughts and emotions.
3) Schedule time for any physical activities: It is very important to set out time for physical activities such as any game, sport, learning a new language, or a musical instrument. These activities help to release your brain feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, that help alleviate loneliness.
4) Talk to your family and friends: Share your thoughts and emotions with your family, as they are the most entrusted person. If you are finding it difficult you can always reach out to a doctor, there is absolutely no shame in doing this.
5) Self-love: No one can love you more but yourself. Take time to relax, talk to yourself, and take classes to improve the aspects of life you want to improve such as building confidence, self-esteem, communication skills, or learning any new skills.
Keep reminding yourself that the human mind is absolutely capable of learning anything they want.
In your life, you will feel a multitude of emotions at different times. Loneliness is one of them. It is absolutely normal to feel lonely for some time because you need some time to sink into the situation you may be going through.
However, long-term loneliness is something you should not fall victim to. Track your emotions and thoughts and never feel shy to seek help and support if it becomes overwhelming or persistent.
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