Loneliness is a negative and unpleasant feeling. It’s a state of mind In which an individual feels dissociation between what he/she wants or expects from a relationship and what those individual experiences in that relationship. People feel neglected and ignored at work, home or even in a marriage. It is a universal condition that makes a person irritable, self-centred, depressed and is associated with an increase in the odds of premature mortality and is a hidden killer.
What loneliness can cause?
An individual who experiences loneliness does not find anyone with them and thus increases the risk of developing biological dysfunctions, psychological distress, and behavioural problems as well. In this situation, people mentally get disturbed and sometimes have negative thoughts and feelings going in their mind. An individual with low self-esteem and less self-worth are seen to feel lonelier than their counterparts. The lonely person often feels low, helpless, separated, or discriminated and often finds difficulty during interactions; feels abandoned and alone.
Loneliness is a very common human emotion; however, a complex and unique experience to each individual. This situation causes people to feel empty, alone, and unwanted and often crave human contact, but their state of mind makes it more difficult to form connections with other people.
What are the ways to overcome loneliness?
Stop your negative thought cycles – This is what our main problem is. We repeatedly think about what we could have done differently to prevent ourselves from feeling so alone and ruminate on the events or people or causes. To stop these negative thought cycles, we need to take action such as keeping yourself busy doing something.
Self-kindness– In difficult situations, it’s essential to practise self- kindness. Blaming ourself when we feel alone is not a good option. So engage yourself in some self-care, just give yourself a break and limit your hurtful self-talk.
Engage with people – try to engage yourself in the face to face social interactions. It tends to improve our mood, reduce depression and keep us calm. Do some kind of activity which you are interested in so that your mind gets diverted from the world of loneliness.
Always be nice to yourself– Everyone fails, and there is no need to be a bully to yourself, feel guilty, or put yourself down. This kind of attitude won’t help you decrease loneliness, now or in the future. At this point, it’s important to practise self-compassion when you fail at things. Always try talking to yourself in a way that is supportive, kind, and caring—and you’ll be more likely to acknowledge mistakes you may have made in trying to decrease loneliness.
Loneliness can be dangerous since it can cause a variety of emotional and physiological problems. Close relationships affect our mental health beneficially, so try to open up as much as you can and express yourself to them. One should understand that it’s a very common experience, try to take it as a positive point and stop thinking negative. This is the time when you should give yourself a break and try to overcome this situation. Never feel demotivated, weak and helpless.
