Life can cause us to feel lonely for many reasons- it may be as children leave the home and we have an empty nest, it could be after the death of a partner, after retirement or perhaps ill health means you cannot do the same activities as you once did before.
Or as you're getting older you may find yourself more isolated and feeling lonely as a result.
Feeling low and sad and sometimes at a loss for something to do can signal that we are feeling lonely.
Human beings are social beings, and we were never designed to be living in concrete boxes on our own!
Humans always lived as tribes for security, safety and to survive.
It is only in the last couple of generations that we can find ourselves living alone as we age- think back to previous generations where grandparents would have lived with their offspring.
We evolved to live in tribes or communities as we get older, where we can offer the wisdom of age to the younger ones, and they can support us and offer company.
Finding yourself feeling unmotivated, sad and lonely is a natural response to living alone but how can you help yourself through this?
Identifying what you are feeling as loneliness, regardless of your age or stage of life, is an important first step to making some changes to your life.
And if it is loneliness you are experiencing, the only way to address feeling lonely is to seek out the company of other people.
What would be the easiest way for you to get out of the house even one day or evening of the week to meet other people?
It may mean making arrangements for transport once a week or more, but it will pay off dividends for your mental health.
Loneliness has a detrimental effect on both your mental and physical health so consider the money you spend on getting out to meet other people a wise investment in YOU.
Make the decision to get out to meet people regardless of the effort it may involve (and sometimes you may not feel like bothering to go out, but it is always worth it).
You may need to try a few different activities to find one or two that suit you and your interests so remind yourself that you do not need to commit to going to anything you don't like- it's OK to take some time to find what you like to do!
Talk to a good friend or family member about how you have been feeling, and you may find that the people who know and love you will have some great suggestions for socialising that suit your personality.
If you need further support, counselling can offer a space for you to explore your feelings without having to censor or worry about burdening another person.
Comments