What do you think of when you hear the word ‘lonely’? Is it something you’ve experienced yourself? How did you cope with it and move forward?
Sometimes we all feel lonely. In a huge city like London, it can often feel counter intuitive to experience a sense of isolation. Despite being surrounded by millions of people every day, building and maintaining those important connections with family, friends or colleagues can be surprisingly difficult.
There’s no shame in admitting to feeling lonely, and this Loneliness Awareness Week (9-15 June) is all about reducing the stigma associated with this natural human emotion.
It’s estimated that 1 in 12 Londoners experience loneliness, which can have a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing, exacerbating stress, anxiety and low mood. Perhaps you’ve moved to London recently and don’t know many people yet. Maybe you’ve lost a partner or close friend and are really missing them. Or you might be facing discrimination and feeling excluded from society.
When we asked our Digital Health Ambassadors (aged 16-25) what their advice would be for any young person who is feeling lonely, the most common tip was to talk to someone you trust. As one of them said, “Talk to a friend about it… maybe someone you can trust with opening up to and just venting on how you’re feeling. That might really help with feelings of loneliness.”
With loneliness sometimes leading to low mood, anxiety, stress, sleep problems and other mental health concerns, it’s important that you take action and get the right support.
In this article, we look at some initiatives that are helping Londoners to tackle loneliness and isolation at all ages and stages of life.
Our guide to the five ways to good mental wellbeing might also be useful if you’re feeling lonely. It contains tips on how to connect with other people, be physically active, learn new skills, give to others and pay attention to the present moment.
For updates about what’s going on during Loneliness Awareness Week, visit the website and follow @marmalade_trust on social media.
