The Trouble with Loneliness

The Powerful Paragraph

For some people, this time of year is a time of love and togetherness. For others, however, this time of year can be difficult and lonely. This time of year can be full of wonderful memories or plagued by one traumatic memory that ruins the season for years to come. The trouble is that loneliness can be very harmful to one’s mental health. While there is no one-size-fits-all cure for loneliness, there are a few things you can do right away to overcome the feeling of loneliness. 1) Journal: Write down how you’re feeling, what you can control, and who you can lean on for support. 2) Identify something you’d like to do this week and someone who might enjoy that activity with you. For example, if you’d like to grab a cup of morning coffee, maybe you’d like to invite your sister who notoriously loves coffee. 3) Turn your loneliness into solitude. Loneliness often leads to rumination. Instead, what is an activity you find enjoyable despite the presence of others.  If you are not lonely, consider reaching out to anyone in your life who could benefit from the extra social support.