That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'

That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'

That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'We human beings are SOCIAL CREATURES.  While it's normal to feel LONELY sometimes, we thrive within relationships and communities of people.  WHEN you feel isolated and cut off from others, it can take a toll on both your mental and physical health, sending your stress levels soaring, triggering anxiety and even depression, and worse, increasing your risk for heart disease and worst, stroke.  That Thing Called 'LONELINESS' is something most of us have to deal with at certain times.  You may have to quarantine away from loved ones for health reasons [during the recent pandemic].  Just one too many scenarios for That Thing Called 'LONELINESS'💴💷💵

In other circumstances, you may find that you have a number of casual acquaintances BUT no friends close enough to make you feel understood OR cared for.  WHATEVER the reasons for your feeling LONELY, know that it is a normal human experience and there are steps you can take to alleviate that LONELINESS predicament📗📙📘

So, HOW do we fix this seemingly casual concern?  Primero, find creative means to KEEP IN TOUCH.  Studies show that during in-person interactions, your body releases hormones that reduce stress and stimulate positive emotional responses.  That's WHY face-to-face contact with friends and family is so integral in our MENTAL HEALTH💎💎💎

BUT let's face reality here.  It's NOT always possible to connect in-person with loved ones whenever feelings of LONELINESS would creep in.  Whether you're travelling with work, living far away, or kept apart for another reason, there are other ways of staying CONNECTED and avoiding ISOLATION.  These days when technology and social media are right on our finger tips, there's just NO excuse on this❎❎❎

Segundo, engage with communities and that could include volunteerism.  WHEN I lived in Singapore and LONELINESS did strike me, I became a Volunteer Probation Officer of the government's Ministry for Community Development and Services.  And I can attest that drastically softened the impact of LONELINESS.  WHY?  Because I became busy, period.  I just had NO time to sulk, NO reason to be cynical, NO chance to further push myself down in a deep morass.  With my hands full, I was literally, engaged with my volunteerism.  THAT THING CALLED LONELINESS, let's shed that off❗❗❗