Loneliness can make you sick.
People who feel permanently lonely are more likely than others to suffer from depression and sleep disorders. Loneliness not only affects the mind, but is also detrimental to the body.
Specifically, it increases the risk of heart attacks, heart attacks, obesity and chronic or acute pain, reports the specialized media Psychology Today.
Nobody wants to suffer from this type of ailment and, however, there are many who expose themselves to it by accepting a state of unwanted loneliness. Because loneliness is not necessarily the same as being alone.
Almost everyone enjoys a little time alone, but this is only enjoyable if these times are enjoyed knowing that, behind it, there is a stable social environment with friends and family connections to trust.
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For those who lack this network, that "me time" ceases to be a positive experience. On the contrary, it creates feelings of unwanted loneliness.
There are many reasons why someone might start to feel lonely.
Some causes are more obvious than others. Paradoxically, among the most frequent are social networks, which in a certain way have eliminated the need for face-to-face interaction in many cases. The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to this.
Other people find it difficult to connect with people simply because they don't have time, fear rejection, or are naturally introverted.
Researchers from Harvard University, Stanford University, Curtin University, and the University of Western Australia have now looked at other factors they think might foster loneliness, according to Psychology Today.
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Specifically, the scientists wanted to understand the influence that the way we deal with our feelings has on loneliness.
The research can be summarized in that, in fact, learning to handle situations that have to do with loneliness makes a huge difference for those who find themselves in this situation.
In their study, the experts used an exhaustive questionnaire that they gave to 501 adults. In this, they were asked to say how lonely they felt and how they generally coped with negative emotions.
Coping with negative feelings is crucial
The researchers found that certain poor coping strategies significantly increase the risk of loneliness.
- overthinking about something
- Blaming oneself or other people
- Imagine catastrophic scenarios
- suppression of negative feelings
- Deliberate withdrawal from social contacts and avoidance of other people
- Refusal of emotional support
You might think that taking this into account means that people who suffer from loneliness already have the answer to their problems in their hands. But it's not that simple, as Brigitte magazine points out.
The mechanisms with which we try to control negative feelings are often difficult to change. They come from our education and previous experiences, explains the publication.
Self-reflection is the key to fighting loneliness
However, researchers offer some advice to people suffering from loneliness.
Although it is often difficult, it is possible to work on the way we deal with negative emotions.
The first step to achieve this is self-reflection.
If you often feel lonely, pay attention to how you behave when a problem bothers you.
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For example, if you've had a fight with an important person or a project at work has gone wrong, you may find that you suppress your anger or disappointment or spend hours ruminating instead of actively seeking a solution.
So, remind yourself that there are healthier mechanisms to solve your problem.
One of them, for example, can be simply going out for a drink with a good friend and talking about what is bothering you.