I can be in a crowded gym and still feel lonely. I can be siting alone eating cookie dough and watching HGTV and feel completely at peace. What makes some people feel lonely in a room full of others? Well, possibly because loneliness is more like a state of mind.
Some researchers attest that it is genetic, while others say its situational or tied to low self esteem. People even go as far to break it down to different types of loneliness.
Regardless of loneliness not being the most happy emotion one could have, it can also be harmful to your health. It’s been linked to dementia, drug addiction, stroke, cardiovascular disease, depression and suicide, antisocial behavior, altered brain function, and poor decision making.
What are ways you can feel more connected to your friends, family, and community? How can we create a few quality friends versus a lot of social media acquaintances? If we join a group or community service project, would we feel more connected and less lonely? Finally, can we change our beliefs about ourselves and people around us? By feeling positive and confident about who we are and thinking positively that people like us and want to spend time can help decrease that ache of loneliness.
Perhaps even a more important question, however, is what can we do to assist someone else who is feeling lonely? How can you step in and improve their day?
By making a difference in someone else life, we could even alter our own mood for the better.
Your thoughts?