Loneliness is something we rarely talk about and hardly confess to others. However, it is only human to feel lonely at times. We shared 5 misconceptions about loneliness we thought should be busted:
- You should never feel lonely, it’s a negative emotion. It is normal to feel lonely at times and most of people do so. Actually, it’s a perfect timing to reflect on your values and figure out what is the thing that you have really been missing. Become your own companion who is taking care of your own needs. Also, loneliness can be a strong motivator to connect you with others.
- Social media prevents from being lonely. Yes and No. If social media is replacement for human interactions, it can actually increase the feeling of loneliness. However, you can be using social networking to boost face-to-face interactions to keep in touch with family and friends or meet new people.
- People in relationship are never lonely. On the contrary. Being married or living together doesn’t prevent you from being lonely. A marriage can be a lonely place if there is no connection between partners. Try to find different ways to stay connected with your partner: communicate, share your daily routines, have your special day of the week, pick up hobbies you both enjoy.
- You can’t be lonely if you have friends. When it comes to relationships with friends, it is never about the quantity. It is the quality of the friendship that really matters. Friendship is a two way street so don’t forget: “To have friends, is to be a friend”.
- There is nothing you can do about it. Firstly, don’t blame yourself for feeling lonely! Secondly, there are plenty of different approaches to loneliness. Try to connect with a friend if you can, do something creative or do something you enjoy doing. Address feelings of loneliness. Talk to a therapist about it, it’s a very good place to start.
MindGuide provides online therapy, anytime, anywhere. Have an audio, video or a text-chat session with the therapist. Take care of your future by taking care of it now.
