Dealing with Depression and Loneliness 

When you are struggling with depression, it can be far more difficult to deal with other negative emotions such as loneliness. It’s normal to feel lonely at times, but certain events, holidays, etc. can increase feelings of loneliness. Understanding how to deal with loneliness while also struggling with depression can help make these moments easier. 

Volunteer 

One way to help you manage your loneliness is to expose yourself to more people. Volunteering is an opportunity for you to spend more time around others while also giving you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. There are many different ways you can volunteer. You can work at a soup kitchen or a shelter. You can volunteer at a hospital or a school. Find a place where you can feel happy and useful. When you volunteer, make sure you take some time to talk with others and interact. You may find it most helpful to strike up a conversation with someone else who feels lonely. Doing so can make you and them feel happier. 

Spend Time with Animals 

There’s a reason animals, especially dogs, are used for therapy. Animals provide comfort and companionship. Dogs, for example, are very lively and affectionate animals. They love to play and snuggle which gives you plenty of attention and it vastly improves your mood. In order to get some time with animals, you can volunteer at an animal shelter. If you know someone who has animals, you can ask to visit for a while. Of course, you can also offer to pet sit for your friends and families. If you need, you could also adopt your own pet so you can have constant comfort and companionship.

Get Out of the House 

You feel most lonely when you stay cooped up in your home. This environment makes it far too easy to get bogged down with negative feelings that can only exacerbate your loneliness. To ease your loneliness, it is a good idea to simply spend time outside of your home. Go for a walk. Run some errands. Wander around the mall. Simply leaving your house can help you leave negative feelings behind and it can give you the motivation to do more. If you choose, you could also invite a friend to go out and do something with you.

Loneliness is perfectly natural and more common than people realize. It’s important to find ways to help you cope with loneliness. This is especially true if you have depression or other mental health disorders. 

Learn more about how depression can affect you.