How To Cope With Loneliness
By Nadia Khan
Updated January 02, 2019
Reviewer Laura Angers
It is said that the most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself, and it is true. Solitude is an inevitable part of life, and loneliness strikes everyone at one point or another, even those who seem to have endless friends and family. When loneliness does hit, it can be an all-consuming feeling and is even associated with conditions like depression and anxiety.
But, loneliness does not have to be such a negative experience. There is no way to avoid it, but there are ways to make it easier to cope with loneliness.
How To Cope With Loneliness
Below are just a few strategies that you can use to get through periods of loneliness, and maybe even learn to enjoy solitary times.
Accept Your Feelings
The first step to coping with loneliness is to accept your feelings and emotions that accompany being alone. If you beat yourself up over feeling lonely, you will hold yourself back from doing anything to change your situation. Before taking action to combat loneliness, start by changing your thoughts. Accept that everyone experiences loneliness sometimes, and let go of any self-blame or thoughts that it is somehow your fault that you are lonely. Understanding that loneliness is simply a feeling, and that it can be changed, is the first step to fighting loneliness.
Meditation is a great way to practice this strategy of simply accepting your feelings without attaching an emotional response to them. When meditating, someone is supposed to let their thoughts "pass through simply." It is impossible, especially when first trying meditation, to truly have no thoughts while sitting still. Rather, when a thought arises, you simply accept that it is happening and then let it go. Meditating can be great practice for doing the same with loneliness. Loneliness is a valid feeling, and you can, and should, accept that you are feeling lonely. But, do your best not to dwell on the feeling or judge yourself for it.
Talk To A Therapist
At the core of loneliness is feelings of isolation. This can lead to depression and anxiety, or general sadness. To help manage these emotions, try talking to a therapist. You can easily connect with a therapist online at BetterHelp.com. An online therapist is ideal when fighting loneliness because you can start a conversation with your therapist at any time of day, not just during your one appointment slot each week. An online therapist serves a dual purpose of giving you someone to talk to, so you feel less alone and also offering more in-depth tips for dealing with feelings of loneliness and the emotions that come with it.
They can also help diagnose if your feelings of loneliness have progressed into a more serious problem like depression, and provide treatment or referrals to deal with that condition. At the very least, talking to a therapist online gives you a person to talk to in moments when you feel alone, and gives you a sense of security in knowing that there is always someone there with an open ear.
It is normal for friends to fall out of touch, but if there are people in your life that you miss, do not be afraid to reach out to old friends. If you are thinking about an old friend, it is likely that they are thinking of you too and will be happy to hear from you. Even if you do not end up making plans to see this friend in person, or if they moved away and that is not an option, having a phone (or even text) conversation with an old friend is a great way to release some feelings of loneliness. A conversation with an old friend is a mood booster, and talking to them will remind you of the relationships that you do have in your life, even if the person is not physically in the same place as you. Plus, talking to an old friend can give you the confidence to go out and try to make new ones.
Fighting loneliness is one of the biggest challenges of moving to a new city. Moves come with a lot of excitement, but loneliness is certainly a concern. If you are dealing with loneliness after relocating, or even if y