Every person experiences loneliness at times however currently loneliness is seen as a growing epidemic. It is not unusual for individuals to feel lonely in a relationship, or because they live alone, or due to being cut off from friends and family, having moved or because of the breakdown of a relationship. Experiencing pain, hurt, depression, anxiety or loss, can all contribute to feeling lonely and somewhat lost.
Some people use alcohol, drugs and behaviours such as gambling to overcome such feelings but the truth is that substances and problematic behaviours can actually exacerbate loneliness and despair.
Whether you see yourself as an introvert or an extrovert, it is important to have a sense of connection and this can be difficult if you are going through difficult times or have had negative experiences in your interactions with others.
In overcoming loneliness, connection with others is important but so is a sense of connection to ourselves.
How can counselling help?
Counselling involves developing a relationship which is built on trust and safety and having someone really listen leads to feeling understood, validated and ultimately to feeling more positive.
Discussing values, beliefs, expectations and experiences can build on this increased positivity and start to provide a connection back to what is important to us personally.
A sense of grounding and increased confidence about who we are and where we want to head in life is a good step towards connecting with others.
Whether you choose to seek out counselling or to make some changes yourself towards more connection, it’s important to know that feelings of loneliness can be understood and worked through.