Isolated and Alone?

Feeling Isolated and Alone?

Are you feeling isolated and alone? Is isolating causing you to feel depressed and ashamed or is it the other way around? Social or emotional isolation can have very painful consequences. It can even affect your health.

Alone Time – Is it Helping or Hurting?

Spending time alone can be a very healthy way to deal with a busy, stressful life. It’s a way of emotionally and mentally recharging. It’s great to have some quiet time to relax, deal with stress and do things you enjoy.  After all, everyone could use a break from day to day responsibilities, whether it’s work,  family or household responsibilities. There are many benefits to finding time for yourself.

However, if spending time alone is more about avoiding others and fearing interacting with others ( friends, family, at work), it can hurt you. Isolating might feel like the safer option, but it can make you feel worse.

Why do people isolate?

• you feel sad ( and/or ashamed) and learned it’s safer to withdraw rather than risk reaching out to others for help
• you feel ashamed or struggling with low self esteem or self worth
• you feel depressed and have never felt like anyone can help or cares
• you’re grieving over the loss of a family member or going through a painful divorce or break up
• you’re in a painful marriage or relationship and feel very alone and can’t let people know how awful you’re feeling
• you don’t feel like you have people who can you can trust to be there for you
• social interactions feel more painful than isolating
• you struggle making friends or dealing with others in social situations
• you’ve moved to a new area ( common  in Maplewood and South Orange ) and it’s hard to make new friends and get connected
• you have a new baby and the change feels isolating
• you’re an introvert and/or a highly sensitive person ( HSP ) that is finding it more difficult, overwhelming and draining to put yourself out there

If you’re feeling isolated and alone and have pulled away from people in your life, find out what may help connect. You have to feel safe enough to reach out and stop isolating.

Therapy and support groups can help deal with the issues that make you isolate. You can find ways to deal with your fears and anxiety to get more connected and socially engaged. For some people, it might mean learning how to reconnect with family and friends you can trust, and with others, it might mean finding a support group or other support network to help you.

Feeling Isolated and Alone

Reaching out for help when you’re ready

If you live in Essex County, NJ and need some help, please contact us. Need to find a mental health provider in your area? Try Psychologytoday.com.

We hope you find this helpful.