VIRTUALLY EVERYONE EXPERIENCES LONELINESS from time to time. The feeling can be especially noticeable around the holidays, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and times of extreme stress. The sheer number of adults in the United States who feel lonely is quite large. In a recent survey of 10,000 adults by Cigna Health, over 60% of those surveyed said they felt lonely. However, people don’t always talk about feelings of loneliness and don’t always know what to do with those feelings. It’s not unusual for the elderly; people going through a breakup, a divorce, or the death of a loved one; and even the young to struggle with loneliness.
Loneliness can be due to so many different factors, and other than being emotionally painful, loneliness can impact people in many ways, such as depression, physical health issues, and physical pain.
If you want to know what to do when you feel lonely, consider these five tips: 1. Acknowledge your feelings of loneliness. A first step to overcoming loneliness is realizing how you feel and the impact it’s having on your life. Talk to a counselor—they can help you work through the factors that may be contributing to it. 2. Know when to engage with or disengage from the online world. 3. Find a volunteer opportunity to help you feel less lonely. Volunteer opportunities are plentiful. Contributing your time and energy, and working alongside others for a good cause, can effectively help you in fighting loneliness. Volunteer activities are shown to ease stress and reduce feelings of depression, and can help you make friends, connect with others, and, overall, become a happier person. Some volunteer opportunities include visiting seniors in a nursing home, reading to kids at school, and working in an animal shelter.
n 4. Join a group or club to overcome loneliness with in-person connections. In Toledo, you have access to various types of group and club activities often founded on common interests and hobbies. You can find many of these groups online or through community resources. For example, I recently joined the Greater Toledo Chess Club. Also, Meetup (www.meetup.com) is an online platform through which you can find a group or create your own based on a particular interest. Groups meet in person, locally. It’s a great way to make friends and get together with like-minded people on a regular basis. 5. Practice self-care. Besides working to connect with others, don’t overlook the potential power of exercise, healthy food, proper sleep, sunshine, and even meditation to combat loneliness. Loneliness affects millions of people. There are many things you can do when trying to overcome it. The key is realizing how you feel and finding the best strategy for you. Take care of yourself—and each other.
Daniel J Jachimiak, BA, is a writer and speaker. Dan can be reached at djachimiak@bex.net or 419-787-2036. ✲
