Loneliness

Loneliness is something that people will experience differently, everybody has different lifestyles and emotions. Loneliness is actually a state of mind, people who are lonely, often crave human contact, but their state of mind makes it difficult for them to make connections. People often feel lonely due to their lifestyle and personal circumstances and stresses of daily life. This can make people more vulnerable life events such as a break up of a relationship or retirement, can be factors which influence this.

There is a close link between feeling lonely and mental health, and they are often strongly linked. People who are depressed, often lack motivation to get dressed and go out and sometimes they want to be alone which is a vicious circle as then they become cut off from people. Depression can cause physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease, alcoholism, drug abuse, and increased stress.

There are many things you can do to help you if you are lonely such as join some clubs, volunteer this will give you the opportunity to meet other people, and form connections. If you are suffering from depression it is important to talk to your doctor so you can get the correct treatment, once this is dealt with you are more likely to want to go out and meet other people.

Being lonely won’t just make you miserable it can suppress your immune system. People who are socially isolated, are often suggested to be at a higher risk of illness. Friendship is a lot like food we need it to survive. Evidence has suggested that when we don’t get this we fall apart mentally and physically.

In adults, loneliness is a major precipitant of depression and alcoholism and this can cause a range of medical problems some of which can take a decade to show up.

It can be hard hard to stop comparing our self to others but things may not look as they seem from the outside.  It is important to remember that you don’t know how people may be feeling. Social media can be a great way to meet people and interact it can also upset some people when they see others getting out and about.

In conclusion people who are lonely are often the ones at risk of illness both physically and mentally. If you are lonely think of ways you can get out and about to make contacts if you are depressed see a doctor or health professional at the earliest opportunity.

Claudette is a passionate campaigner and activist for mental health stigma and domestic abuse. She believes that everyone should be treated equally regardless of their disability or gender. She has diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder, endometriosis, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. Claudette has a certificate in Management studies.  Her interests include beauty, makeup, animals politics, current affairs and social networking.

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