Loneliness is complicated. You can feel lonely when you lack friends and miss companionship, or when you're surrounded by people - even friends and family.Either way, loneliness can have devastating health effects. It boosts risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, depression, high blood pressure, declining thinking skills, inability to perform daily living tasks, and even an early death. The remedy? Below we offer three ways to ease loneliness and add happiness by helping you expand your social network.
Reducing loneliness caused by a lack of relationships is more of an outward journey to make new friends. That's a challenge as we get older, because people are often established in their social groups and aren't as available as they might have been in a different phase of life. So you have to be more entrepreneurial and work harder to make friends than you once did.Trying these strategies can help.
Being around people who share your interests gives you a head start on making friends: you already have something in common.Start by considering your interests. Are you a voracious reader, a history lover, a movie aficionado, a gardener, a foodie, a puppy parent, or an athlete? Are you passionate about a cause, your community, or your heritage? Do you collect things? Do you love classic cars? Do you enjoy sprucing up old furniture? Maybe you want to learn something new, like how to cook Chinese food or speak another language. Search for online groups, in-person clubs, volunteer opportunities, or classes that match any of your interests or things you'd like to try.Once you join a group, you'll need to take part in it regularly to build bonds. If you can gather in person, it's even better. The part of our brain involved in social connection is stimulated by all five senses. When you're with someone in the same room, you get a much stronger set of stimuli than you do by watching them on an electronic screen.
If joining someone else's group is unappealing, start your own. Host gatherings at your place or elsewhere.
Ideas for gatherings - either weekly or monthly - include:
The people you invite don't have to be dear friends; they can just be people you'd like to get to know better - perhaps neighbors or work acquaintances.If they're interested in a regular gathering, pin down dates and times. Otherwise, the idea might stay stuck in the talking stages.
Sometimes we're rusty in surface social graces that help build deeper connections. It makes a huge difference when you can be enthusiastic rather than just sitting there and hoping someone will realize how interesting you are.
Tips to practice:
Even chats that don't lead to friendships can be enriching. One study found that people who had the most diverse portfolios of social interactions - exchanges with strangers, acquaintances, friends, or family members - were much happier than those with the least diverse social portfolios.Ultimately, a wide variety of interactions contributes to well-being, whether you're talking to the cashier at the supermarket, a neighbor, an old friend, or a new one. And all of these connections combined may go a long way toward helping you feel less lonely.