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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.
You might feel lonely if you:
- find it hard to make friends
- have moved house or schools
- are struggling with your physical or mental health
- don't have enough money to join in with plans
- have ended a relationship or friendship
- have been abused or bullied
- have lost someone close to you
- don't get on with your family or live in care
- have a disability
- are struggling with your gender or sexuality.
Things that can help if you feel lonely:
- telling someone you trust how you feel
- trying a new hobby or activity
- getting positive ideas to uplift your mood with our coping kit
- 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.
always
feel alone
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:
- get advice about building confidence and self-esteem - this can help you feel confident when you meet new people and focus on stuff you like about yourself
- use our Art box to draw or write down your thoughts and see what makes you feel better or worse
- Try our coping kit and get some ideas to cheer you up
- talk to an adult you trust
- join a club or group where you can meet new people - this could be a sports team, music class or book club.
- talk to a Childline counsellor for support.
Olly Alexander from Years & Years talks about opening up
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