There are a lot of people who are being affected by Loneliness due to COVID. The lockdown had restricted our lives and we cannot go out and meet friends and socialise like we use to. Social distancing rules means that even when we meet our friends outdoors it is strange as usually when we meet a friend on the street you would greet them with a hug, but now even seeing them is far less likely. Here are some tips to help you.
1. Call Someone
Be in contact with your friends and family by phone. Make contact via Zoom you can see each other. You can also arrange social Zoom parties with friends so you can have a laugh like old times.
You can play games with friends online. Google ‘multiplayer puzzle games’ or ‘online games with friends’. One popular game at the moment is online escape rooms, in which multiple players work together to solve clues.
If you need someone else to call, there are plenty of mental health helplines. Here are a few
Samaritans - day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them free on116 123 or email them at jo@samaritans.org
You could also visit Mind’s How to cope with loneliness or call 0300 123 3393
If you are younger and feeling lonely, you can call SupportLine on 01708 765 200, or the Calm Zone, which is a helpline offering support to men in the UK, of any age, who are down or in crisis, 0800 585858.
If you are under 25, you can also call Get Connected on 0808 808 4994
2. Go for a Walk
Going out for a walk will not only get you the exercise you need but will also make you feel fresh. Seeing people even if they are strangers will boost your mood.
3. Take care of your health
If you look after your mental and physical health, you will feel. It could be a good time to take up Meditation or Mindfulness. This will help you with keeping your mind and body relaxed.
4. Keep yourself Busy
Make sure that you keep to a routine. Be consistent with your bed times and waking up times.
If you are working from home then treat your dining table/study as your office. Keep up with it otherwise you may find yourself distracted and this could make you feel worse.
This is also a good time to do things that you have always wanted to do. You could take some online lessons for example learning a musical instrument, online cooking classes, painting classes, yoga classes just to name a few.
Staying busy will leave you with less time to think about how lonely you are and give yourself something to be proud off.
5. Join an online club
You could join an online club. There are some online book clubs, networking events that can give you an opportunity to meet new people. Use Facebook pages to find clubs in your local area, so if there’s one you like the look of, you have something to look forward to when lockdown ends, and can get to know the people already there online in the meantime.
I wish you the best in getting through this hard time.
And, of course, if you need help, reach out. I'd be happy to help and you can call or email me even if we can't meet up for some Hypnotherapy sessions.
Namita Bhatia
Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist
Tel: 07305 595 603
Comments