Loneliness if a familiar term for everyone. Even the bubbliest person will at some point feel lonely. You do not need to be alone to feel lonely. You can be in the company of a multitude but still, feel like a stranger. Loneliness is a state of mind. However, some situations accelerate this state. The best example in recent times can be the self-isolation requirements for COVID-19 patients. For them, they do not have an option but to be alone as they recover. It is for their benefit and society’s benefit in general. Developing strategies for coping with loneliness can help deal with this situation. If you are struggling, contact Atlanta Center for Mental Health for help from our mental health treatment center.
Effects of Loneliness
Loneliness can alter how you feel and behave. It can make you develop unorthodox tendencies. A lonely person is likely to fall into depression. Humans are social beings that rely on interactions to make them feel alive. These interactions also reinforce our worth in the world. When loneliness cuts you off from such interactions, you may become depressed. If you are suffering, reach out to a depression treatment program today.
Loneliness can also impact on your health by accelerating the stress levels. Too much stress can suppress the effectiveness of your immune system. A lonely person at such a point is susceptible to attacks by various diseases.
If you are lonely, you will experience physical pain occasionally. The area of the brain that processes feelings of pain also deals with feelings of social exclusion. Loneliness over a protracted period can trigger this area. You will then begin to feel inexplicable pain. To be safe, you need to develop skills for coping with loneliness.
Coping With Loneliness
Different ways of coping with loneliness exist. You should pick a strategy that suits you. The strategy will slow depending on the situation causing your loneliness. Some strategies cannot work for loneliness that results from isolation due to medical reasons.
These strategies are:
Find Support Online
You can find comfort in the virtual world. So many people on the internet are battling loneliness just like you. Join some of the interactive forums that appeal to you. You could also try to connect with people on dating sites.
Consider Getting a Pet
Pets provide excellent company. Get yourself a pet of your choice. Make sure that you nurture a close relationship with the animal during its first days. In time this will develop into a bond. You will begin to feel a connection between you and your pet.
Volunteer
You can join an alumni program or charitable group which advances a cause you believe in. Joining such groups will not only make you active but also expose you to new friends. Volunteering for activities that interest you will help elevate your mood.
Visit a Therapist
A therapist in an individual therapy program can pinpoint exactly what’s making you feel lonely. This is crucial for people who feel lonely despite being in the company of others. Their cases need some form of medical intervention.
Treatment Approaches at Atlanta Center for Mental Health
This facility has programs that can help you deal with loneliness. This is in addition to equipping you with skills coping with loneliness.
Some of our residential mental health treatment programs include:
- Alumni support program: We cannot get rid of loneliness in a single treatment. This program allows you to continuously reconnect with our members. It helps boost your sense of belonging
- Anxiety treatment program: None of us can safely say they have not experienced anxiety at one point in their life. An anxiety treatment program seeks to find the best treatment option for your anxiety
- Mental health therapies: These include expressive therapy, recreational therapy, group therapy among others. Mental health therapies are all designed to treat your current predicament and give you a life long solution.
- Depression treatment program: Doctors and psychiatric nurse practitioners work hand in hand to find the best treatment for your depression.
Enroll With Us
Loneliness can make reclusive. In the process, it limits your access to opportunities. Don’t let loneliness affect your relationships adversely. You can learn skills for coping with loneliness with our team of health professionals. Call Atlanta Center for Mental Health at 833.625.0458 and we will teach you how to cope with loneliness.
