It’s common for people who deal with chronic loneliness to feel hopeless. It often feels that there simply isn’t an answer to the problems of social isolation and being lonely. The truth is that a counselor can help in most cases.
The first step to improving loneliness
The first step is for your counselor to assess you and your situation. Your loneliness and social isolation could be caused by an underlying medical condition or mental health issue. If that’s the case, then that medical condition or mental health issue will likely be dealt with first.
Finding the right interventions
There are a number of actions clients can take to put an end to their loneliness. We’ll provide you with comprehensive tips and suggestions based on your specific situation but some common options include:
- Learning how to improve social skills. Oftentimes, loneliness is caused by the lack of interpersonal skills needed to create new relationships. Counselors can help clients be less socially awkward, teach them how to talk on the phone, and how to get comfortable with silence.
- Improving social support. It’s common for people who are experiencing loneliness to be a victim of changing circumstances. For example, people dealing with a recent death, relocated older people, and the children of divorce.
- Finding new options for social interaction. Counselors can help clients learn how to meet other people and provide support as they clients do so.
- Changing the way you think. Research has shown that over time, people who have chronic loneliness may become overly sensitive to it and constantly view the actions of others as hostile or as though they’re being rejected. Counselors can help clients to stop automatically thinking the worst of people.
At Thriveworks Marietta Counseling & Coaching we work to provide you with a customized treatment plan. We’ll take the time to listen to your needs and concerns to make sure we understand your concerns and your future goals.
