by Caitlin H,
October 23, 2023
If you’ve ever felt lonely, you know how challenging it can be. Many things can contribute to loneliness, including some you may not even realize.
Examples include:
- Life Events: Sometimes life events such as moving to a new city, breaking up with a significant other, dealing with a pet, or the death of a loved one can cause loneliness.
- Your personality type: Introverts are less likely to engage in social interactions and may be more likely to feel lonely.
- Social media: The reduction in real-life social interaction due to social media has left many people feeling more isolated in the modern era. Additionally, people are often addicted to social media and place a high value on social interactions rather than real-life interactions.
- Mental health challenges: Cognitive distortions or inaccurate thinking can cause some people to focus on the negative and worst possible outcomes, leading to a cautious attitude that can make others feel isolated and off-putting. Anxiety and depression may also play a role, as people with either disorder may be less able to connect with others.
Whatever the cause, loneliness is a very powerful emotion that can have harmful effects on your physical and mental health. In fact, a 2019 article from the National Institute on Aging notes that researchers have found that social isolation and loneliness put you at various risks, such as:
- heart disease
- obesity
- hypertension
- weak immune system
- frustrated
- anxiety
- cognitive decline
- Alzheimer’s disease
Also, be aware that you may feel as lonely in the company of family and friends as you would if you were alone.
That’s why finding ways to combat loneliness and engage in meaningful, productive activities can have a huge impact on your health and weight loss journey.
Take these five practical steps to combat loneliness.
1. Explore the emotions behind
Battling strong emotions like loneliness may be your default coping method. However, denying your loneliness or trying to suppress it won’t make it go away. The longer you pretend it doesn’t exist, the more likely the feeling will grow. Instead, take some time to sit with the emotion and acknowledge its presence. Try to imagine it as if you were outside yourself and accept that you are a real person with real emotions. Write down why you feel lonely, explore what’s going on in your life, and identify potential changes to alleviate your loneliness.
2. Write a list of ideas.
After you’ve explored what causes loneliness, the next step is to write down activities that can help you combat and deal with this emotion. This may come up with many things that are unique to you, but here are some examples:
- Plan monthly outings with friends.
- Join a nearby walking group.
- Find online forums for events that interest you.
- Explore social media to find groups with similar interests and join their events.
- Talk to a friend or loved one on the phone.
- Volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about.
- Engage in coping activities that you enjoy, such as walking, sewing, baking, gardening, or reading.
3. Take the first step.
Once you’ve written down your plans and ideas, it’s now time to take the leap and try out one or more of your ideas. Reach out to old contacts for a phone conversation. Explore Facebook groups or MeetUp events. Google volunteering opportunities near you. Ask your local college or learning center about face-to-face classes in courses such as cooking or baking. Head to the leisure center to sign up for a fitness or yoga class. There are lots of fun activities to try!
4. Stay motivated.
After you try an activity on the list, write about your experience. If it’s fun, sign up regularly to keep the momentum going. If it doesn’t work for you, choose another activity from your list of ideas and try it. Eventually, you’ll find something you love and make some new friends along the way!
5. If none of the above methods work, please seek professional assistance.
If you’ve taken all of the steps above and find that your loneliness isn’t improving, it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor or find a therapist. A mental health professional can help you understand whether your loneliness is chronic, related to past trauma, or caused by distorted thought patterns. They can also help you develop practical coping mechanisms relevant to your personal situation.
Ultimately, combating loneliness with practical steps can do wonders in alleviating the feeling and helping you connect with others, which is crucial to ensuring it has a positive impact on your overall health.
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Author: Caitlin H
Food community manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about connecting with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key and that people will have the greatest weight loss success if they practice common-sense healthy eating and fitness.