Feeling alone is not the same as being alone. Feeling alone here can be interpreted as feeling lonely because relationships with other people are less meaningful. Feeling alone can be experienced by anyone, from children, adults, to the elderly.
Feeling alone or lonely that is allowed to drag on can cause your health, both physical and mental, to be disturbed. For example, a decrease in the immune system, high blood pressure, impaired heart function, memory disorders, to depression.
How to Overcome Loneliness
Generally feeling alone is only a temporary feeling. These feelings may be present when you have lost a loved one, separated from your partner, or are adapting to a new environment.
Even if it's temporary, there are things you can do to get rid of loneliness, including:
1. Doing a hobby
Doing the things you enjoy can help you take your mind off situations that make you feel alone. Even better, if you do a hobby with people who also have the same interests. Instead of feeling alone, you will actually feel happy because you meet new people who have similar hobbies.
2. Keeping animals
Having a pet can make you feel like you have a great close friend. Apart from being friends, pets can also be used as therapy to improve mental health.
3. Helping people in need
Helping people in need can also reduce your feelings of loneliness, as it will make you feel needed and have friends to share with.
Go to an orphanage, nursing home, or other nursing home. In these places you can meet people who need your help.
4. Stay away from social media
Too often accessing social media can have a negative impact on you, because this tends to make you compare yourself to others. In addition, you may also feel lonely because you see people's lives on social media, which seem more perfect.
Taking a break from social media for a while can give you a chance to reorganize your life. In addition, you can also establish closeness again with the people around you for real. That way, you won't feel alone anymore.
5. Go where you like
Taking a walk or going to a favorite place can also be a way to avoid feeling lonely. Choose a place you've never been to before.
Whenever possible, join the travelers (traveler) who was also visiting the place. Meeting new people will make you no longer feel alone.
What you need to remember if you want to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic as it is today is to always comply with the applicable health protocols, such as wearing masks, maintaining distance, washing hands with soap regularly, and avoiding contact with sick people.
However, it would be nice to postpone your plans to travel, because traveling can increase your risk of being infected with the Corona virus. Instead, you can try other ways to get rid of your loneliness.
6. Don't blame yourself
When you are feeling alone, never blame yourself, as this will only make your feelings worse. Throw away the thought that all of this happened because it was purely your fault. Focus on solving problems, so you can get out of your loneliness as soon as possible.
7. Make peace with loneliness
When you feel alone, don't deny the feeling. Realize the presence of this feeling as well as the presence of pleasure. Let the loneliness enter your heart and make peace with it. This way, it will be easier for you to get rid of the loneliness you experience.
8. Remember that life always revolves
Like a spinning wheel, so is life. Sometimes you feel happy, sometimes sad, sometimes lonely. If it's your turn to feel lonely, realize that this is only temporary. Tomorrow or the day after, those feelings will likely disappear, replaced with feelings of happiness.
9. Consultation with experts
Talking about your life and everything you're going through little by little will make you feel better. Talk to the right person, such as a psychologist, counselor, or therapist. This will help you get rid of the feeling of being alone and help you determine what steps to take next.
Don't worry, it's normal to feel alone if you experience it once in a while. However, if you've been doing the things above for a long time and haven't experienced any change, don't let this feeling go away. This is because it can be a sign of depression. Immediately consult this with a psychologist or psychiatrist to get proper treatment and care.
