Loneliness and how to beat it!

Loneliness is a universal human emotion that is both complex and exceptional to each individual. Because it has no single common cause, the prevention and treatment of this potentially damaging state of mind can differ vividly.

Health Risks Associated with Loneliness

Loneliness has a wide range of negative effects on both physical and mental health, including:

Depression and suicide: When you feel so low that things you previously enjoyed no longer hold that same joy.

• Cardiovascular disease and stroke: conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain or stroke.
• Increased stress levels: Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.
• Decreased memory and learning: forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and other problems that disrupt daily activities.
• Antisocial behaviour: actions that harm or lack consideration for the well-being of others.
• Poor decision-making
• Alcoholism and drug abuse: addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and others.
• The progression of Alzheimer’s disease: causes a progressive loss of brain cells that leads to memory loss and the decline of other thinking skills.
• Altered brain function

Tips to Prevent Loneliness

Loneliness can be overcome. It does require a mindful effort on your part to make a change. Making a change, in the long run, can make you more contented, improved, and enable you to impact others around you in a positive way.

Here are some ways to prevent loneliness:
• Firstly you need to recognize that loneliness is a symbol that something needs to change.
• Then, you need to understand the effects that loneliness has on your life, both physically and mentally.
•  Consider doing community service or another activity that you enjoy. These situations present great opportunities to meet people and promote new friendships and social interactions.
• Focus on developing quality relationships with people who share similar attitudes, interests, and values with you.
• Expect the best. Lonely people often expect denial, so instead focus on positive thoughts and attitudes in your social relationships.

If you feel burdened by feelings of loneliness or feel them throughout the year and find it difficult to deal with, you can also talk to a professional about how you feel; this can often be more helpful than people expect.

All images are courtesy Pixabay

To learn more about Mentriq click here