What Does Loneliness Do to a Person?
Loneliness can take many forms, from being physically isolated to social isolation to mental health issues. Feeling alone is a painful emotion, but there are ways to combat loneliness and make meaningful connections again.
What Do Loneliness Do?
Often, people are tempted to avoid contact with others when they feel lonely. This can lead to feelings of isolation and a sense that they aren’t worth being around.
This isn’t healthy, and it can actually make the feeling of loneliness worse in the long run. The best way to get over this is to make a conscious effort to connect with others.
One of the most common ways to do this is by trying to meet new people. This can be difficult, especially if you haven’t done it before, but you may find that it helps reduce the feelings of loneliness.
Another option is to spend more time with friends and family. Whether that means calling your sister, writing a letter to your cousin, or checking on your elderly grandparents, this can help relieve the symptoms of loneliness.
Reconnect with old friends
If you haven’t seen your friends in a while, it might be helpful to reconnect with them by meeting up for a coffee or a lunch together. You may also want to start volunteering at a local food bank or soup kitchen, since these types of activities can help you feel like you’re part of a larger community.
You can also try to reach out to people online. Using platforms such as Instagram and Facebook can help you connect with friends that you may not have had the chance to see in person.
A therapist can help you understand the root of your feelings and offer strategies to overcome them. They can also help you pinpoint any factors that are contributing to your loneliness, so that you can address them before they continue to affect your life.
Your Health
Studies show that people who are lonely are more likely to get sick than those who have a strong social network. The reason for this is that your immune system works much better when you’re surrounded by other people.
This could be because you’re not exposed to germs and bacteria when you’re with a group of people, so the likelihood of getting ill is lower when you’re with your friends.
The other thing that’s important to remember about your health is that your body needs time to recover from illness. If you aren’t able to get the rest and restorative sleep that your body needs, it will be harder for your immune system to fight off illnesses.
To protect your health, make sure you are eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and pursuing hobbies that you enjoy. These things can help you stay mentally and physically healthy and prevent depression and other problems from causing more harm.
A good way to do this is to find a group of people that have the same interests as you and get involved in their activities. For example, if you’re into reading, consider joining a book club or taking a class at the local library.
