Exploring How Loneliness Affects Mental Health

It is usual for individuals to go through periods of loneliness but with the increased amount of time that people now have to undergo self-isolation, questions of how loneliness can affect your mental health have become more prominent.

For most, it is normal to occasionally feel lonely. This may be the case if you are missing friends or family, or even if you have to work late on a Saturday night and feel like you are missing out. In these instances, it is quite easy to remedy the situation, by spending more time with people and planning activities, but loneliness can be dangerous to your mental and cognitive health if experienced for prolonged periods. It can affect your mental health in the way that it increases the risk of feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and even problems sleeping. There are also physical health problems associated with loneliness such as increased inactivity, obesity, and a higher chance of substance abuse. 

Causes of loneliness 

Some situations can cause an increased feeling of loneliness. These are situations such as:

• A break-up 
• Alienation caused by retirement
• Experiencing loss
• Self-isolation
• Moving countries or homes
• Being estranged from family members
• Experiencing discrimination
• Loss of a friend

Dealing with loneliness

There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for dealing with loneliness because of the varying root causes and needs of each individual. There are, however, a few suggestions that can be taken into account to improve your situation. 

The first step is to address the negative feelings that may be causing you to draw into yourself. You need to be able to reach out to those you want to spend time with. If you do not know how to take the necessary steps to address the negative feelings you may consider consulting a life coach or a mental health practitioner to help co-create concrete steps you can start towards combating loneliness. You may even consider seeing a career coach see if your feelings of isolation are related to your current work situation. Finding a career path that compliments your personality and needs can go a long way in creating the right social balance for you. 

Another practical piece of advice is to expand your social circle. Consider joining an online group or community that you can connect to. This may provide online interactions first but further down the line, it could translate into new acquaintances and friends. Consider volunteering for a company or an activity that you love. This can be a way of diversifying your friend group to meet your different social needs. The most important thing for your physical and mental health during periods of loneliness is to focus on self-care. Try spending some time outside, get enough sleep and eat healthily. Bad habits can accelerate your negative thoughts and feelings. 

Loneliness is a normal feeling but remember to take care of yourself if you are feeling this way on a long-term basis. Your mental and physical health can suffer under these circumstances, so it is best to create change in your life before this happens. It is never too late to prioritize your health. Consider consulting a life or career coach and changing up your lifestyle if you feel like these measures could help to improve your mood and well being.