It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from or what you do, it is very normal to feel lonely sometimes, especially if someone important to you has died. Over winter, with the darker evenings, feelings of loneliness can seem more overwhelming than ever. The good news is there are things you can do to help with these feelings:
Reach out to someone you trust
Try not to feel embarrassed that you have these feelings, everyone feels lonely at times. Imagine it was your friend who was lonely, you would probably want to know so you could help them. Important people in your life are likely to be a great support if you reach out and share with them how you are feeling. If speaking to someone directly feels too much, why not drop them a message, set up a group chat, or write down how you are feeling to share with them.
Do something you enjoy
Taking part in an activity that you enjoy can help to make you feel positive and less lonely. Distraction is a great way to get rid of unwanted, negative feelings, and doing something you enjoy helps to improve your overall mental health and wellbeing.
To manage loneliness in the winter period: attend community festive events like a carol service or Christmas concert to see some friendly faces and feel a part of community with others. Do what you love by yourself whether that's reading, running, baking some festive treats! FaceTime with friends and family who are far away and try not to compare yourself to others who might look like they are having the best time because everyone has their own struggles.
Mary, Youth Ambassador
Take care of yourself
Don’t be too hard on yourself for feeling lonely. Instead, focus on being kind to yourself. Take time to relax, do something nice for yourself, make yourself feel special and valued. All these things can help to increase your confidence and self-esteem. You could even try saying or thinking some positive affirmations (positive words and sentences about yourself) to boost your mood. (This might sound silly, but there's proof that this really works for some people!)
Get creative
You don’t have to have amazing artistic skills to enjoy expressing yourself. Take some time to do an activity that may help to express how you are feeling. Music, art, exercise, writing and dance are all great ways to let out those difficult emotions.
Get out and about
Consider joining a new group or trying a new activity where you can meet other people who enjoy similar things to you. At first, it might seem really difficult to do something new, but chances are everyone will be feeling the same, and once you meet everyone for the first time, you’ll probably make a lot of new friends.
One of my tips would be to get involved with volunteering. I think it can be quite hard to step out of your comfort zone, but volunteering allows you to meet people, make a difference and give back to your community. There are loads of causes out there so fighting for something you’re passionate about is important and can really help to keep you motivated when volunteering. You could volunteer online or in person and there are lots of different opportunities such as befriending, fundraising, or helping to run events in your local community.
Eden, Youth Ambassador
Use social media if you want to
Social media can help you to connect to other people if you don’t feel able to go out and socialise. It might be linking up with friends, old and new, or watching YouTube or TikTok videos about things that interest you. Just remember to take regular screen breaks and only access content that makes you feel better.
Ask for support if you are worried about feeling lonely
Remember, help is available if you are not coping with these lonely feelings. Reach out to Winston’s Wish for support.