Fighting Loneliness
As we get older and the children grow up and start to create their own independent lives, it’s easy to feel lonely. The time you have spent raising kids and working often means that you may lose touch with friends and family members, but it doesn't have to stay that way. When you spend a lot of time being busy, life can get lonely when you’re not so busy anymore.
Fighting that loneliness is important, when you feel as if you’re lacking in emotional human connections. It’s why some people join classes and groups so that they can connect and reach out to others with the same ideals and beliefs. It’s why some people even reach out to others through inmate pictures. The internet has connected us and isolated us all at the same time. We can talk to people, but we can’t physically reach out and touch them. We don't use our voices, we type. We don't reach out and hug, we send emojis. The good news, though, is that there are several ways that we can reach out and stop feeling so alone all the time. You can help your mental health with these tips, too. With better human connections, you’ll feel happier and stronger as a person.
Keep in touch with friends. If you have a social group of friends, reach out and talk with them. Arrange to meet up and stick to a regular meeting time and place. Arrange to have a walking partner or exercise buddy. Do the same with your work colleagues. It’s so easy to lose track of those connections, but you don't have to if you make the effort to reach out regularly enough.
Say yes! If people invite you to meet up or go places, tell them that you would love to join them. It can be pretty hard to get out of your comfort zone, but that doesn't mean that you can’t do it. You have to put yourself into a position that makes you feel uncomfortable so that you can get comfortable with being out there again.
Be aware of your social media use. It’s easy to get sucked into social media and never leave the house, preferring instead to interact online. Avoid that if you can. You need real people and human touch, and one way to do that is to try not to be online too much.
Get a pet! Pets are one of the best ways that you can get out there and meet people. You can go for walks and meet people in the park, discuss new things about your pets and just get out there. The other thing to consider is that pets are going to make you feel less alone as they are with you when you need them to be and love you unconditionally. Yet animals can also be used for help and guidance. Any animal can be used as a therapy and support animal. But you can also access assistance animals such as a service dog for PTSD or drug rehabilitation.
Being alone doesn't have to be your new normal. You can ensure that you aren't alone when you reach out to people and take action.