Feeling lonely

All of us feel lonely or isolated sometimes. But if you're struggling to cope with loneliness, we're to help.

Why people feel lonely

Feeling lonely isn't always about being physically alone or isolated. You might feel alone even when you're surrounded by other people, or like no one understands how you feel.

Loneliness can make you feel down and have a negative impact on your mental health. If you feel like this, you can get help and find ways to feel better.

Things that can help if you feel lonely:

  • telling someone you trust how you feel
  • trying a new hobby or activity
  • getting support on the message boards
  • getting positive ideas to uplift your mood with our coping kit 
  • tracking how you feel on the mood journal
  • accepting that it may take time to feel better.

Watch: Coping with loneliness

Trusting others

If you’ve been hurt by people in the past, it can be hard to trust new people you meet. This can make you feel really lonely. 

When you meet someone new, give yourself time to get to know them and have an open mind. You coud think to yourself what you like about them, or what you might have in common. Building trust can take time though, so be patient and kind to yourself. And if you're really struggling with trusting others, you can contact a Childline counsellor for support.

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Check out our message boards

Living in care or moving around

If you’re living in care or away from your family, you might feel that you are completely alone. But there are people who can help, and remember that we’re always here.

Moving out of your home, or moving in and out of care can be really stressful. It can also cause feelings of sadness. There are people who can help you find ways to cope and take positive steps to move forward with your life and not feel so lonely.

Find out more about asking an adult for help.

What you can do

If you're feeling lonely, you could:

Olly Alexander from Years & Years talks about opening up