Five Ways to Cope With Loneliness
By Amber Page
If you find yourself feeling lonely, you're not alone. Despite having more "connections" than ever before, 22 percent of Americans report feeling lonesome almost all the time.
Feeling lonely can be bad for your mental and physical health. It can cause depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system and more. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help ease your loneliness and start feeling more connected again.
Ask Yourself What's Changed
Chances are, you haven't always been this lonely. So take some time to identify what's changed. Why are you feeling so isolated? Are you newly single? Trying to do too much? Working too hard? Living in a new place?
Once you understand why you're feeling lonely, you can take steps to combat it.
Take a Good Look at Your Current Connections
Sometimes we get so caught up in wishing for relationships we don't have, we forget about the people who are already in our lives.
Really think about who you know -- and how they can help. Do you have neighbors you're friendly with? Colleagues at work you could connect with on a deeper level? Or long-distance friends and family? Chances are, if you reach out, they'll be happy to help out however they can.
Evaluate Your Social Media Usage
Social media can actually make us feel more isolated instead of more connected. How are you using it? How do you feel after you're done scrolling through your feeds? If you find that you're losing hours to your favorite social networks, or you feel even worse after you're done, you might want to consider taking a break -- or at least scaling back.
Put Yourself Out There
If you need to make new connections, you need to put yourself in places where you can make them.
Now's the time to find a book club, take up a new hobby or enroll in a class of some kind. Ever wanted to play the ukulele? Wished you could belly dance? Thought about learning some improvisation techniques?
Take a risk and give it a try. At the very least, you won't be home alone. And if all goes well? You just might make a new friend -- or meet a potential partner.
Talk to Someone
If you're feeling hopeless, or like you don't know where to start, seeing a mental health professional can really help. They can help you find your way out -- and give you strategies to cope with your current plight.
There's nothing worse than feeling like you're all alone. Try some of the strategies here and hopefully you'll find yourself with a new sense of community soon.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lawrenceville, Ga.