Mental Health Advice With Stan: How to Manage the Fear of Loneliness in Your Life

Spending time with an animal can help with loneliness. – Courtesy photo

By Stanley Popovich

Many people deal with the fear of living alone. Loneliness can make someone feel depressed and unhappy so it’s important to not let being alone be a factor in your life.

Here is a list of techniques that a person can use so that the fear of being alone doesn’t become a major issue in their lives.

1.The first step is to find an activity that you enjoy and where you can meet a lot of people. 

For instance, joining a group activity such as a volleyball group, women’s club, or making crafts can be a great way to meet people. Doing something that you like to do will make you happy and will increase your chances of making friends.

2. Spending time with animals can be a great source of companionship. 

Whether you have a dog or you go to your local shelter, spending time with an animal or pet can help us to feel better. Animals can be of good company to all of us whether we are alone or not.

3. Helping others through community service can be of some help. 

There are many people out there who could benefit from your time and talents. Helping others can give you a source of pride and accomplishment and also can lead to friendships.

4. It isn’t fun being alone but sometimes there are worse things. 

For instance, imagine that you are married or stuck in a relationship that you can’t get out of and also makes you miserable. Not only do you have to live with this person, it would be difficult to get out of the relationship because of various financial or personal reasons. As a result, you are stuck living with someone that you can’t stand and makes you depressed every single day of your life. With this viewpoint, being alone doesn’t sound that bad.

5. Spending time with God can help.

Spending time with God and asking God for help in your time of loneliness can be of great comfort. You never know how God will work in your life. Including God in your everyday living can help reduce your loneliness. Talk to a priest or minister if you are unsure on what to do.

6. The important thing is to do something constructive. 

Sitting around and doing nothing will not make things any better whether it is dealing with the fear of being alone or something else. Take it one day at a time and stay committed in combatting loneliness in your life.

Stan Popovich is a Penn State graduate and the nationally known anxiety  author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear”— an easy-to-read  overcoming anxiety book that’s helped thousands of people to confidently  manage their persistent fears and anxieties. Stan has over 20 years of personal experience in dealing with fear and anxiety. For more free mental health advice visit Stan’s website at managingfear.com and read Stan’s articles and his blog. The above is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Mr. Popovich is not a medical professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here.

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