Feeling lonely?
Useful links
Anticipatory grief (article)
Science of well being (free course)
Chronic loneliness (article)
Compassion fatigue (blog post)
Does drinking make you happy (video)
Happiest nation tackles loneliness (article)
Managing a bad day (article)
Mindfullness (article)
Rekindle old friendships (article)
Self Compassion (article)
Self kindness (article)
Useful contacts
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
headspace: 1800 650 890 (12 to 25 years)
Lifeline: 131114
Kids HelpLine: 1800 55 1800 (to 25 years)
Top tips to counter loneliness
Act not react. Understand that feeling lonely is normal and it is a signal for you to do something different in your current social relationships.
Signal. Signal to others your willingness to connect. Simple acts such as smiling and open body language helps others know you are willing to interact.
Speak. A confidant can help alleviate loneliness, this could be a professional such as a school counsellor or a teacher.
Focus. Getting more friends may help some but for others it could be easier to focus on improving the quality of a few relationships.
Find ‘your people’. Join a sports team, choir, art class or volunteer – spending time with like-minded people with common interests is one way to make friends.
Take the time. Repeated social interactions with others builds trust.
Set realistic expectations. Friendships and relationships are dynamic. Your connection with a person wavers over time so don’t get down on yourself if you’re not seeing certain friends all the time.
Manage social fears. Your fear of being judged by others may stop you from interacting with people. Seek help to gain more confidence around social interactions to make this easier.
Manage feeling down. If you think you feel more sad and depressed about your social situation than you should be, speak to someone you trust or a health professional.