Tips on Combatting Loneliness
Loneliness has become an increasingly familiar feeling as the COVID-19 pandemic goes on, but loneliness can be struggle for a lot of people when they feel disconnected and isolated. Loneliness can feel debilitating and can lead to poor physical and mental health. Here are some strategies to help reduce loneliness and improve overall health.
Name, Validate and Accept the Loneliness
With any negative emotion, we tend to try to fight the feeling rather than allow ourselves to feel it because it’s uncomfortable or painful. Simply naming the feeling and acknowledging that we are feeling lonely can go a long way to relieve that pressure of fighting off the feeling of loneliness. It can also relieve a lot of suffering by validating the feeling. You are not lonely because you are failing at something, you are lonely because you are socially isolated right now and because you are a human being who is a social being.
Identify and Embrace Positives
Often times when we are lonely or feeling alone, we can only see the negatives. We can only see the things that we miss or are losing out on. If we can shift to seeing some positives of being alone, we may feel differently and more content. For instance, less social obligations may allow time to take up a new hobby or deep clean your house. Finding things to be grateful for in an unusual situation can help us feel more positive about the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Keep a Routine
Everyone’s schedule and routine look a lot differently than they did before the pandemic. It’s easy to get completely out of a routine because there is nothing automatically giving us structure. This is when it becomes even more important to give yourself some structure and a basic routine. Schedule times to work and times to relax as well as time to clean or organize. These things happen somewhat naturally when we are balancing work schedules, school schedules and other social obligations. It can feel awkward to structure events that we are not used to scheduling, but the added structure will help feel more balanced and connected to a routine.
Reach Out and Get Creative
We can all acknowledge that virtual social events are not as good as in person, but just because they aren’t as good, doesn’t mean that they aren’t better than nothing. Fight the Zoom fatigue and evaluate which is worse for you, more screen time or more isolation. The answer might be different at different times. Also, think about other ways to get together with people that feel safe. Maybe an outdoor get together, or going for a walk and greeting neighbors also out and about. Looking for small connections can sometimes get us through until we are able to connect more fully in person with friends and family.
Loneliness can lead to lower mood, diminished physical and mental health as well as feeling disconnected and isolated. If you are struggling with loneliness, it can also be helpful to talk to a professional to feel connected and supported as you find ways to reduce isolation and increase connection.
Additional Resources
Feeling Lonely? Here’s How to Deal
COVID-19 Is Making America's Loneliness Epidemic Even Worse
Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic as a College Student
How Singles Can Fight Loneliness During Social Isolation
Being Alone Together: The Social Pandemic of Loneliness during COVID-19
Helping Seniors Manage Loneliness and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Crisis
