At some time in your life you may feel loneliness or have a feeling of isolation from other people and the world around you.

These feelings are normal but there are many things you can do to overcome them.

Why do I feel lonely or isolated?

You can feel lonely or isolated for many reasons even when other people are around you. Some reasons you might feel lonely or isolated include:

• living alone
• lacking close family around you
• losing your friends, a spouse, or your partner
• going through a divorce or break up
• retiring from work or changing schools or jobs
• living away from home for the first time
• being unemployed
• feeling shy
• feeling worried or stressed
• finding it difficult to meet new people
• having a language or cultural barrier
• being away from your culture of origin
• being bullied
• feeling unsure about your sexuality
• having a mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety or a physical disability.

How can loneliness and isolation affect my health?

Feeling alone or socially isolated for a long time can be harmful. You might experience physical or mental problems or do things that are bad for you.

Some signs to look for include:

• physical symptoms – such as headaches, feeling ill, having pains, feeling tired, having sleep problems or lacking motivation
• mental health conditions – such as depression, feeling anxious, having panic attacks or feeling paranoid
• diet problems – such as putting on weight, losing weight or losing your appetite
• negative feelings – such as feeling worthless or hopeless or thinking about suicide
• substance abuse – such drinking a lot of alcohol, misusing medicines or taking drugs.

What can help?

You can overcome loneliness and isolation and improve your life by:

• connecting with family and friends – visit, phone, email or use video technology
• getting out of the house – go shopping, exercise, join a club or enrol to study
• volunteering – meet new people to feel connected and valued
• getting a pet – pets are great conversation starters. They can improve your physical and mental health.