Are you lonely?

Loneliness can be a debilitating feeling and a feeling that you feel powerless to do anything about.

Research in the UK for campaigntoendloneliness.org found 59% of surveyed adults over 52 years of age who say they are in poor health say they feel lonely some of the time or often whereas its only 21% of adults who say they are in excellent health that say they feel lonely some of the time or often. Also, in American research reports focusing on children and young adults indicated that a significant percentage of respondents aged 17 to 25 experienced loneliness. Finally, one study alleged that 35 is the age at which men feel the loneliest. My uptake on these reports are that as an adult many of us could experience loneliness - Interesting!

We are programmed as humans to have a strong desire for social connection but does being lonely or perhaps the social isolation associated with loneliness pose a health risk?

Being lonely can create a cocoon around you which stops you interacting even though you want to get out into the world. I'm not talking about the loner who prefers his or her own company I'm talking about someone who was not lonely and who now is.

As you age research by Relationships Australia in 2017 shows that desire for emotional closeness in relationships increases with age however as we age we usually have a decrease in social ties such as -

- Death of a parent/s;

- Children leaving home;

- Relocating;

- Death of a spouse;

- Leaving full time employment and a meaningful career.

In this research whilst women are more likely than men to feel lonely the issues which arise are lack of companionship, feeling left out and feelings of isolation.

Loneliness can strike anyone - the extroverts as well as the introverts - at any time. Have you felt lonely at times like -

- Leaving the work force;

- Having had responsibility in the past and now not having any?;

- Having a baby or being at home with your children;

- You used to juggle family, work, social, hobbies and now it's time for you?

- Do you feel 'what will I do now'?

At these times it feels hard to reach out to someone, you may feel insecure or perhaps you suffer in silence feeling that if you talk to friends they will think you are boring and not moving on...

The time has come to suffer no more click here and I will send you three tips to start to banish loneliness from your life today.

Take care.

Dawn