12 Ways To Overcome Feelings Of Loneliness

While the world gets more and more connected, it, in fact, becomes easier to feel isolated from others. It becomes easier to feel like you don’t belong to any social group.

Well, if you often find yourself feeling lonely, know that you aren’t the only one feeling this way. A great number of people feel lonelier than ever.

If you’re wondering how you can handle these feelings of loneliness, first know that you have to be in touch with your emotions and have a good understanding of yourself.  And second, you have to be willing to make changes to your life.

Here are 12 ways you can overcome feelings of loneliness:

1. Get rid of self-deprecating habits.

Loneliness can cause you to see the worst in everything. For example, if some friend of yours doesn’t text you back, you may easily think, “He/she doesn’t want me around” or “They must hate me now.” 

What you need to be aware of is that your feelings of loneliness can easily creep into anger and bitterness towards good friends and even members of your family.

So, if you don’t want this to happen, make sure you spend more time and have an honest, meaningful conversation with your loved ones. Visit your relatives once or twice every month and engage in healthy and exciting activities which can help remind you of all the good things you’re surrounded by.

2. Overcome self-doubt.

Loneliness can easily evolve into self-doubt. When you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness, you inevitably start questioning your loved ones. Do my friends really love me? Do others find me awkward?

Such moments of self-doubt can spiral into insecurity and even anxiety easily, which just makes you want to isolate from everyone around you. To prevent this, become more aware of your worth. Treat yourself as being worth more and remind yourself that others do appreciate who you are and like you.

3. Remember that loneliness is not the same as being alone.

Remembering a lost family member or friend, coming across an old friend, or having a bad memory can all trigger feelings of loneliness and cause you to think, “I am lonely.”

But, what you need to remember is that just because you’re struggling with feelings of loneliness, it doesn’t mean that you’re alone in the world. It doesn’t mean you aren’t surrounded by people who genuinely love you and care about you.

4. Never blame yourself.

Blaming yourself will never do you any good. It’ll actually make you feel worse about yourself. What you need to understand is that life is different for all of us and people get lonely for a variety of conditions and scenarios which come together at once.

That’s why there’s no point in comparing yourself with others or blaming yourself for the way you feel.

5. Support other people.

We become so entrenched in our own problems that we forget about and unknowingly ignore others. If you show more interest in other people’s problems and misery, you’ll see that feelings of loneliness aren’t uncommon.

Putting your focus on the feelings of someone struggling with loneliness and having an open, deep conversation with them will benefit both of you for sure.

6. Move away from negativity.

If you want to overcome loneliness, you have to distance yourself from people who are actually contributing to it.  There is no point in expecting support and love from people who are making you feel lonely.

What you should do instead is take interest in a group you share the same or similar hobbies with. Crafting, reading, and yoga groups are among the best communities you can join.

Interacting with people, participating in the weekly meetings, and engaging in intellectually stimulating and interesting activities will help you overcome loneliness more easily.

7. Always have realistic expectations.

Having realistic expectations when meeting new people is a healthy and effective way to keep yourself from getting disappointed. You can’t expect from someone to open up to you and share their life story with you after only a couple of meetings.  

If you don’t establish realistic expectations, you can easily start antagonizing others. For instance, a preoccupied loved one becomes selfish or an unavailable friend becomes unsupportive and conceited. So, to prevent this, make sure you always have realistic expectations.

8. Embrace your emotions.

There is no point in suppressing your feelings and hiding how you are feeling. What you need to understand is that your negative emotions are a normal part of you. By embracing what you are experiencing and who you are, you don’t have to waste your energy avoiding anything.

That’s why you must always let your feelings flow freely and accept them just the way they are.

9. Do something creative.

By creative, I’m not referring to anything earth-shatteringly creative. Focus your mind on a simple task. Draw. Dance. Knit. Just do something that will get your mind off loneliness and fill you with positive energy.

10. Do physical exercises.

Doing physical exercises can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Exercise is a powerful loneliness fighter as it helps your body release endorphin – a chemical in your brain which makes you feel relaxed and full of energy.

11. Practice self-care.

Instead of wallowing in despair and self-pity, nurture yourself. Explore your innermost feelings. Go on a trip. Do something exciting. Remember that maintaining good mental, physical, and emotional health should always be your number one priority.

12. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help.

If you feel like you can’t overcome loneliness on your own, don’t be ashamed or afraid to turn to your loved ones or professionals for help and support. Never forget, too, that loneliness is not permanent and that you do have the ability to overcome it with a little patience and compassion.