Feeling Lonely

Things you can try to help with loneliness

Do

try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, healthcare professional or counsellor
join a group or class that focuses on something you enjoy - you could ask to go along and just watch first if you're feeling nervous
visit places where you can just be around other people - for example, a park, the cinema or a caf?
speak to your GP about social prescribing - they may be able to refer you to a link worker who can help find local support and activities near to you
consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other
volunteer with a charity or organisation in your local area
do things you enjoy such as walking, exercising or listening to a podcast

Don't

do not try to do everything at once - set small targets that you can easily achieve
do not focus on the things you cannot change - focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better
try not to compare yourself to others - on social media you usually only see things people want to share
try not to tell yourself that you're alone - many people feel lonely at some point in their life and support is available
try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve loneliness because they can all contribute to poor mental health

Further information and support

Loneliness (Mind)
Self-esteem (Mind)
How to find a support group (Mind)
Dealing with loneliness (Every Mind Matters)
Improve your mental health with our Mind Plan (Every Mind Matters)

You may also find the mental wellbeing audio guides useful.

When and where to get medical help

There are a number of ways you can get help if you're lonely and it's making you feel stressed, anxious or depressed.

Referring yourself for therapy

If you need more support, you can get free talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS.

You can refer yourself directly to a talking therapies service without a referral from a GP.

Find NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression

See a GP if:

you're struggling to cope with stress, anxiety or a low mood
you've had a low mood for more than 2 weeks
things you're trying yourself are not helping
you would prefer to get a referral from a GP

Call NHS 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment if:

you need help urgently, but it's not an emergency

NHS 111 can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone. You can call 111 or get&t=/">get help from 111 online.

Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

you or someone you know needs immediate help
you have seriously harmed yourself - for example, by taking a drug overdose

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency.

Find your nearest A&E

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

Causes of loneliness

Loneliness has many different causes and it can affect people of all ages.

It's often linked with things that could prevent you spending time with other people, such as:

living or working alone
retirement
illness or disability
bereavement (losing someone or something)
moving to a new area, job, school or university
social anxiety (social phobia)

However, you do not have to be on your own all the time to feel lonely. Many people feel lonely in a relationship or while spending time with friends or family.

Other significant life events such as buying a house, having a baby or planning a wedding could also lead to feelings of loneliness.

You might find it hard to explain to people why you feel this way, but talking to someone could help you find a solution.

Find out more about the 5 steps to mental wellbeing

Loneliness in older people

Loneliness can affect people of any age, but older people are particularly at risk if they live alone or do not have regular contact with others.

Things that may help if you're older

If you're an older person and feeling lonely you could try:

keeping in touch with friends or family by phone or video chat using services such as Teams, Zoom, FaceTime or Viber
joining local groups, classes or community activities
starting small conversations when you're out - for example in shops or in the GP waiting room
inviting someone over, even for a short visit
using social media, such as Facebook, Instagram or X, to stay connected
planning ahead and putting things in your diary to look forward to, such as going for a walk, visiting family or friends, or going to the cinema
volunteering

You can also find support and befriending services from organisations like Age UK, The Silver Line or Re-engage.

Find out how to help lonely older people in your community

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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