Centuries ago, the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle mentioned the human being as a social animal. Usually, people of all ages prefer to live in the company of other humans, including their family members and friends. No one likes to live alone, except sages or too unsocial individuals. However, some people are forced to endure loneliness for different unavoidable reasons.

Adult men and women emotionally feel very lonely after getting divorced from their spouses, for which they may also have an emotional breakdown. Aged people have to live a lonely life when their children grow up and start their own families away from their parents. Many kids also feel lonely at home when both their parents are working and very busy in their professional fields. Some people prefer to stay unmarried and may become lonely after the demise of their other family members. The untimely death of dear ones can also make people feel very lonely.

Possible hazards of loneliness

A person may turn mentally sick due to living alone for too long. Several physical and mental hazards appear when a person is forced to live a lonely life, abandoned or rejected by their loved ones. The following problems can hamper your regular lifestyle if you are experiencing loneliness for long:

• Mental depression
• Increase in anxiety or stress level
• Suicidal intention
• Reduction in cognitive powers
• Addiction to alcohol or drugs
• Decrease in the ability to make decisions
• Shunning away from society
• Increase in the risks of heart attack or cerebral stroke
• Risk of being inflicted by Alzheimer’s disease

A few effective tips for managing your loneliness

If you are living alone, you need not feel helpless in this situation. Rather, you should try to enjoy the solitude by using the time with yourself. However, there are multiple ways of handling your loneliness that will help you live a happier life.

Expand your social network

Nowadays, several social media sites are available where people can interact online with others. You can start accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social media sites. On these digital platforms, you can reconnect with your old friends with whom you lost contact for many years. You may also find new friends who share your interests and enjoy online chatting with them. Thus, you will not feel lonely anymore, as time passes quickly when you are engrossed in these sites.

Indulge in interesting activities

In a retired life, a person gets plenty of time to do anything he/she likes. Earlier, you might not get enough time or energy to do things, like traveling to new places, driving a car, trying to cook a new dish, or starting a new hobby. Now, you can enjoy doing all these things that have interested you for ages, as there is no one to disturb or stop you from doing it. You may also buy new gadgets and start learning to use them, which can keep you busy. Some people also enjoy trying some adventurous sports, like bungee jumping or scuba diving when they are living alone.

Focus on your inner self

When you are living alone it is the best opportunity to know yourself. You need to meditate regularly and start exploring your personality, which you could never do earlier due to lack of time and scope. Then you will know your strengths and weaknesses, which may encourage your personal and spiritual growth. You can also read various religious texts and books written by great personalities, to have the necessary spiritual guidance and peace of mind. Gradually, you will gain the mental strength to face all adversities in life evolving due to staying alone.

Practice physical exercises

If you are physically healthy, you will feel happier even if you are living alone. So, you should practice daily workouts, which will help you remain strong and energetic even in old age. You can go for a morning walk, jogging, cycling, or swimming, whichever suits your present physical condition. Young men and women can also opt to visit a gym and practice physical training, with the guidance of an expert trainer there. Yoga is an excellent way to improve your physical well-being. Also, you should do some household chores even if you have a helping hand. You can decorate your home according to your taste, which can make you happy while this job serves as physical exercise.

Take care of yourself

When there is no one else living with you at home, you should look after yourself. As a person loves his/her family and friends, it is important to love oneself as well. You should treat yourself well, to maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. You should be happy, eating healthy foods that satisfy your taste buds as well. You can relax by watching movies or TV shows, reading books, or enjoying music, to make yourself happier. You should look after your hygiene and visit a doctor for regular checkups. Sometimes, you may treat yourself by visiting a spa, eating in your favorite restaurant, or watching a movie at your local cinema hall.

Socialize with neighboring people

Even if you are living alone at home, there must be plenty of people living in your locality. You can speak to your neighbors and befriend them while going for morning walks or walking up to the local market. You may socialize with known and even unknown people, which can be like fresh oxygen into your lonely life. Sometimes, you may invite your neighbors to your home and enjoy their company over good food and drinks.

Rekindle your old passions

You might love painting, singing, playing a musical instrument, or dancing at a young age in school or college. Then you might have to give up these hobbies due to workload and family pressure. Now, you can take up those hobbies again, as you have ample time and no other companion. You will love reliving those golden days of the past and also pursuing those forgotten hobbies that render fresh energy and happiness.

Think about happy memories

When you feel sad, the best way to instantly feel better is to recall the pleasant moments of your life with your loved ones. You can think of your carefree childhood or college days when you were happy. You can look at your old albums, filled with photos of your family members and friends who are no more living with you. These memories will make you smile and forget your current loneliness for a while.

Chat with friends

You can reduce the emotional burden on your mind by speaking out to your reliable friends. You may call some old friends over the phone, to chat with them like earlier. You may also occasionally meet your friends to relive your younger age once again. Sometimes, people do not feel like speaking or meeting others in person and in that case, they can chat online with their friends. Several digital platforms, like Whatsapp and Messenger, are useful in chatting online.

Go out frequently

If you stay at home all the time, your life will become stagnant due to the lack of any changes. So, you should go out occasionally even if you do not need to step out. You can go shopping, visit a nearby park, or go for a short trip to the neighborhood, which will uplift your mood instantly. Moreover, you will meet new people and gain new experiences when you go out, which can spice up your boring life to some extent. It is better to walk around a bit every day, as it can help you sleep peacefully at night due to tiredness.

Have a pet as a companion

When you lack your near ones to spend quality time with, you can adopt a pet dog, cat, or bird. Any pet proves to be a great companion for a human, as all animals and birds are very faithful to their masters. Pets try their best to show their unconditional love and affection through their actions, as they cannot express themselves in words like us. Moreover, a pet dog can look after your safety by driving out intruders and resisting burglary. You need not buy an expensive pet of a foreign pedigree; a street dog or cat can also make a good pet that will keep you company. You may also feed the animals or birds of your locality and spend time with them.

Trust and thank God for everything

The greatest happiness can be achieved when you surrender yourself to God and trust Him. You must understand that everything happening to you is for a better cause. Even if you are going through a difficult time, you should thank God for every good thing that happened in your life till now. When you get up in the morning, you should thank God that you are still alive and can start a day afresh. You may also develop the habit of writing down all that you want to share with God, which will vent out your emotions as well.

Overall, you should take care of your happiness and do whatever helps to drive away your gloominess. Now, many social organizations work to serve lonely people, who can be contacted if you are in distress. However, you should adapt to the lonely environment and face this situation more sportingly. 

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