The world is a beautiful place, but sometimes it feels like you’re the only one in it. Wellbeing blogger Feel-Good Flora talks about loneliness.
Up to a one-fifth of all UK adults feel lonely most or all of the time. Young people feel lonelier than any other age group, with two-fifths of people aged 16-24 saying they feel lonely often or very often. Surprising and saddening results from a recent study of loneliness.
Remember: Many Of Us Feel Lonely Sometimes
Loneliness is a reality for too many people. It can affect anyone of any age. There are people who can go for days, weeks or even a month without seeing a friend or family member.
There Is A National Mission To End Loneliness Within Our Lifetime
Last month, the Prime Minister launched the Government’s first loneliness strategy and pledged to tackle “one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.”
Included in the strategy is ‘social prescribing’ which will allow all GPs in England to direct patients experiencing loneliness to community workers offering tailored support and activities such as cookery classes, walking clubs and art groups to help people improve their health and wellbeing, instead of defaulting to medicine.
What Does Loneliness Mean To You?
Being alone and being lonely is not the same thing.
Being with other people doesn’t mean you’re going to feel connected, and being alone doesn’t mean you’re going to feel lonely.
People usually describe feeling lonely for one of two reasons:
a. they simply don’t see or talk to anyone very often
b. even though they are surrounded by people, they don’t feel understood or cared for
Some Tips To Ease Loneliness
It is important to acknowledge when you feel lonely. If you can actively go on to ease or prevent your own loneliness, that is brilliant. Here are some tips:
Form New Connections – Try to meet more, or different, people. What classes or groups interest you that could help you connect with new people?
Open Up – It might help to open up about how you feel to friends and family. If that isn’t easy for you, some of these useful contacts may be able to help you deal with your feelings of loneliness.
Mind Your Health – It is important for you to look after yourself the best you can. Eat well – fill your fridge/cupboards with tasty, colourful, nutritious foods (and special treats!). Keep active – exercise, get involved with group exercise classes and this will help contribute to the third point: get enough sleep.
Know When To Put Your Phone Down – Electronics are a fantastic tool to keep you connected with friends/family/the world, but we are humans, we need human interaction. Seeing updates of what looks like everyone else having a fun time can contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Setting technology-free times stops you going down the rabbit hole of social media and emphasising your feelings of loneliness. Use this time to do more of what makes you feel good.
Great Things Are Happening In Wimbledon To Ease Loneliness
Wimbledon Guild offer volunteer opportunities, a befriending scheme and have a lovely, homely cafe welcoming you in for delicious meals and a friendly chat with locals.
Hugely popular Meet Up Mondays at The Alex draw in the crowds for free tea, sandwiches and socialising on a Monday.
The Lady Wimbledon team host parties, networking events and now we’re introducing open blogger meetings to anyone interested. Join our VIP list & keep an eye out on social media to see all upcoming events.
Let’s Tackle Loneliness Together
The loneliness epidemic is real. Taking care of yourself, your neighbours, your friends and family and our community can help us tackle loneliness together.
Written by Flora Firth
Instagram: @feelgoodflora
Twitter: @feelgoodflora
Facebook: @feelgoodflora
About The Author
Flora Firth
Flora is on her wellness journey and hopes to encourage you to join her. She’s proud to be voicing the importance of mind health in a world where we’re striving for unrealistic perfection.