How to cope with loneliness
Being lonely for a long time can lead to a negative spiral: loneliness makes it harder to connect, which leads to people being afraid of social situations, meaning it is harder to find joy in life and escape negative thoughts.
That loneliness is different for everybody, so there is no one way that we all experience loneliness. Some people can be alone and not feel lonely, while others can be surrounded by people and feel lonely.
We found that anyone can experience loneliness, but there are some risk factors that can increase the chances of severe loneliness. These factors include:
Being widowed
Being single
Being unemployed
Living alone
Having a long-term health condition or disability
Living in rented accommodation
Being between 16 and 24 years old
Being a carer
Being from an ethnic minority community
Being LGBTQIA+
Dealing with loneliness can be difficult, but there are things you can do to cope and prevent some of the negative feelings or mental health problems that come with experiencing loneliness.
Advice on how to cope with loneliness and improve your mental health. Here are a few of those ideas:
Try to do some enjoyable things that will keep you busy, like a hobby, doing some organisation or another small activity.
Try to do things that stimulate your mind, such as listening to podcasts or starting a new course
Think about doing physical activity – exercise can be overwhelming at times, but even something small and simple like a walk in a park can help
Try to engage with the people you meet in your daily life, such as a delivery person or someone on the street
Try to use social media in a positive way and find digital communities that share your passions
