Summary of 7 Ways to Deal with Loneliness (and When to Seek Help)
- How to make loneliness go away?
- Is being a loner a trauma response?
- How does having no friends affect your mental health?
- Why does loneliness physically hurt?
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AI Overview
AI Overview
Accepting loneliness involves acknowledging the feeling, understanding it’s a universal human experience, and taking proactive steps like building self-comfort through hobbies, strengthening existing connections, fostering new ones, and practicing self-compassion, while also recognizing when professional help might be beneficial to navigate the underlying dissatisfaction
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Acknowledge & Understand
Validate your feelings: Recognize loneliness as a signal, not a failing, and understand it stems from a gap between desired and actual social connection.
Know it’s normal: Realize everyone experiences loneliness at some point; it’s a universal part of being human.
Cultivate Solitude & Self-Connection
Get comfortable with yourself:
Develop skills to enjoy your own company and find peace in solitude
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Explore new activities: Engage in hobbies, learn new things, and find joy in solo pursuits to enrich your inner world.
Create your ideal space: Make your home a sanctuary that supports your well-being.
Strengthen Connections & Community
Nurture existing ties: Open up and connect more deeply with people you already know.
Make new connections: Seek out communities, volunteer, or join groups to meet like-minded people.
Be patient: Building connections takes time, so take small, manageable steps.
Mindset & Self-Care
Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness, especially when feeling down, and avoid comparing your social life to others’.
Stay active: Physical activity can significantly improve mood and reduce feelings of isolation.
Refresh routines: Introduce new habits or structure to your day to break cycles of isolation.
When to Seek Professional Help
Consider therapy: If loneliness feels overwhelming or persistently impacts your life, a counselor or therapist can provide strategies and insights, says Cigna and Mind.
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This article was co-authored by Chloe Carmichael, PhD. Chloe Carmichael, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who runs a private practice in New York City. With over 12 years of psychological consulting experience, Dr. Chloe specializes in relationship issues, stress management, self-esteem, and career coaching. She has also instructed undergraduate courses at Long Island University and has served as adjunct faculty at the City University of New York. Dr. Chloe completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York, and her clinical training at Lenox Hill Hospital and Kings County Hospital. She is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is the author of “Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety” and “Dr. Chloe’s 10 Commandments of Dating.”
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,334,236 times.
In a world so big, it can be easy to feel alone. Loneliness can happen to anyone at any time, but even so, blue feelings are never fun. Thankfully, there are ways to cope and deal with loneliness, and they’re probably simpler than you may think. We’ve rounded up the best ways to help you start feeling like yourself again (plus explanations for why you may be lonely). Now, everyone is different, so all of these tricks may not work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to give them a try to see what does!
Things You Should Know
- Joining clubs, volunteering, and chatting with people online helps you put yourself out there and make friends—helping you say “bye-bye” to loneliness.
- Keep yourself busy with things you love and practice self-care to learn to love solitude.
- Check in with a therapist if you’re feeling hopeless, unmotivated, and lonely, as these could be signs of depression.
Expert Q&A
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Tips
- Don’t be afraid to do things by yourself. The world is your oyster, so get out there and do what you want to do (even if there’s no one to guide you)!Thanks
- Loneliness can be created by thoughts. Become aware of your thoughts and feel if your thoughts are creating such feelings. Thoughts like “No one cares about me.” No one ever calls me or invites me to do things.” Often these thoughts are wrong! We all have people who care about us and people who would love to be in our company! Be the one who calls another and makes the invitation to do something fun.
- If you feel lonely, you can do whatever you want. You can enjoy so many things in your life. You can spend with your family if you are lonely. If you don’t have anything to do then try new things, like traveling!
- Be yourself, say hi, and have a conversation with someone. Sometimes, those you may think dislike you may well turn out to be someone that wants to be your friend.
- ↑ Chloe Carmichael, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/how-to-make-friends.htm
- ↑ Chloe Carmichael, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/feeling-lonely/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/how-to-make-friends.htm
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pura-vida/201401/meditation-medicine-loneliness
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/coping-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/coping-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus/
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/mood-boosting-power-of-dogs.htm
- ↑ https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-020-02818-3
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/depression-symptoms-and-warning-signs.htm
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/feeling-lonely/
- ↑ https://time.com/5548386/feeling-lonely-in-relationship/
- ↑ Chloe Carmichael, PhD. Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview
To deal with loneliness, try exploring new hobbies and activities, such as taking a class or volunteering within your community. If you’re anxious around other people, try doing things by yourself, like going out to dinner or seeing a movie. Alternatively, join an online community to share your thoughts and ask questions to those who are also dealing with loneliness. You can also deepen your relationships with people who are already in your life, like your family and close friends. To learn how to identify the reasons for your loneliness, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
- “Very well written in an understanding, thoughtful and tastefully-done way. Great job to everyone that contributed. Sounds great! Hopefully it will save many lives; at minimum, I’m sure it will encourage many.”…” more