People mostly get it wrong when they define loneliness; they think it literally means being alone, and that’s a total misconception. A lot of people whom you’d never suspect feel lonely, do sometimes. Loneliness used to be associated with old age, not anymore though. You could be most lonesome even when surrounded by many people and flying on cloud 9!. Sometimes, it will pass like a grey stormy cloud, but other times it will linger on. So, how do we overcome these sickening emotions?
1–Understand that it’s just a feeling and not a reality. Feelings can change, while realities are persistent. Loneliness is usually triggered by the brain as a reaction to something and doesn’t mean that you’re undesirable or truly isolated. Try focusing on others and pay less attention to your own thoughts. Change how you view things. If you are sitting somewhere by yourself, try to think about the people around you and how they’re feeling and even smile to them instead of thinking ” I’m all alone”.
2–Find out what triggered it. What made you feel lonely? Is it because you stayed home all day, or felt scared or worried about something and there was no one to lean on? Identify the reasons stopping you from being sociable.. It’s usually during periods of big changes that we are most vulnerable; a new job, a new school, a new town, or after a dramatic break up.
3-Don’t surrender to isolation. It’s the easy way-out. You isolate yourself because you assume that people don’t care, while actually in doing so, you’re estranging them even more and you become a prisoner of your own negative thoughts. It’s a dark and ironic vicious circle.
4-Write down a gratitude list. It will be challenging at first but you’ll eventually manage to count your blessings, even the small ones.. It can be as simple as being grateful for today’s weather, just anything to bring out your positive energy.
5-Stay away from social media. It can be deceptive and pretentious. It would be great if people’s real lives were as perfect as they appear on Facebook and Instagram. Social media could be very “unsociable”. While it connects us with our distant loved ones, it can alienate us from those who are just around the corner. A friendly call or a warm house visit has become a thing of the past.
6-Learn more about Loneliness. Knowledge is power; the more you read about loneliness, the more you’ll realize that it’s much more common than you think it is.
7-Talk it out with someone. Don’t be shy about it. Let it all out to somebody. Sometimes talking to your close friends is all the therapy you need.
8-Keep a busy schedule. Joining group activities, a hobby, a sport, or volunteer work is a good channel to make new friends and acquaintances. Doing something you love or helping others will make you feel positive about yourself.
