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When we think of loneliness and the people affected by loneliness we often think of older people living alone, but anyone can experience feelings of loneliness at any stage of life.
It is important to remember that being lonely and being alone are very different things. Spending lots of time alone doesn’t necessarily mean you are lonely, and even if you live with your family or spend all day surrounded by other people at school or live in a busy city, you can still suffer from loneliness.
Feeling lonely isn’t a mental health problem, but the two can be closely linked. Feeling lonely can affect your mental health and mental health problems can increase your chances of feeling lonely.
Research suggests that there are five main characteristics of being lonely. These include:
In a 2018 Survey, young people aged 16-24 were reported to feel loneliness more often than any other age group. During this time the body is going through lots of changes both physically and emotionally, which can lead to feelings of isolation.
Here are some things that can make loneliness worse for young people:
There is nothing embarrassing or shameful about feeling lonely, and there are some simple things you can do to help improve the way you feel.
Top tips:
Mind provide in-depth information about feeling lonely and how to overcome it
Click relationships Read more about how loneliness can impact your relationships
Action for Children Find out more information about how to combat loneliness
Young Minds Read this article to find out the importance of how living in the present can help improve your mental health
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