Loneliness has many different causes, and it can affect people of all ages. It’s often linked with things that could prevent you spending time with other people, such as:
- having a new baby
- being a single parent
- living or working alone
- illness or disability
- losing someone you love
- moving to a new area or job
- social anxiety (social phobia)
You don’t have to be on your own all the time to feel lonely. Many people feel lonely in a relationship, while looking after their children, and even while spending time with friends or family.
You might find it hard to explain to people why you feel this way, but talking to someone could help you find a solution.
Things you can try to help when you’re feeling lonely
When you’re feeling lonely, it’s really easy to get into habits like using social media and alcohol, cigarettes or gambling. These might make you feel good for a few minutes or hours, but actually make you feel worse in the long run.
Here are few things you could try when you’re feeling lonely:
- Talk to someone about how you feel. You could tell a friend or family member, health professional or counsellor. You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to.
- Try a group activity. Consider joining a group or class that focuses on something you enjoy; you could ask to go along and just watch first if you’re feeling nervous
- See what activities there are for your kids. There are lots of great activities and clubs for kids. If they go along to something, you might be able to meet other people through it too.
- Get out there. Consider visiting places where you can just be around other people – for example, a park, the cinema or a cafe
- Look for some support. Consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website
- Do something that makes you feel happy. Try the 6 ways to feel happier, which are simple lifestyle changes to help you feel more in control and able to cope
- Try mindfulness. Take a look on YouTube or Spotify for a mindfulness track that feels relevant to you.
If you need a bit more support, there’s help out there.
- If you need more support, you can get free therapy like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS. Having the space to talk to somebody that you don’t know personally can often be a real help, and therapists are trained to be able to help you get to the bottom of some of your patterns of thinking. You don’t need to be referred by anyone – just click here to find something in your area: Find a psychological therapies service in your area
- See your GP if you’re struggling to cope with stress, anxiety or a low mood
Not sure how you feel? Try this mood self-assessment:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/depression-anxiety-self-assessment-quiz/
This information was adapted from https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/feeling-lonely/
