How to Fight Loneliness

In 2020 many of us resigned ourselves to the fact that we would have to spend Christmas alone with a glimmer of hope that the New Year would return some normality. Now that 2021 has arrived and we enter another national lockdown, optimism seems to be waning and loneliness gathering steam once again.

As major research has shown, loneliness can be detrimental to both our physical and mental wellbeing, raising the likelihood of a heart attack by 40%. While there is no substitute for spending quality time with family and friends, as we go into the New Year, we should spend some time taking care of ourselves.

Entering 2021, the key point to remember is that you aren't alone! Many of us are experiencing this together. We've put together some ideas to help you keep busy and combat the feeling of loneliness.

Join a befriending service

Age UK have been connecting communities for decades. In our more recent periods of isolation and loneliness, they are working tirelessly to keep older people in our communities connected with support. They are currently offering a telephone befriending service where volunteers are matched with older members of the public. A call once or twice a week for individuals alone in this difficult period can be an uplifting experience for both volunteer and recipient.

They're encouraging befrienders to speak about their year and the experiences they've had with lockdown and isolation, as well as tips for staying resilient and optimistic. Each call will be scheduled for a minimum of 20 minutes, at a time that suits you.

The organisation stresses that a listening ear in these troubling times can help brighten the spirits of someone dealing with loneliness, particularly to those with mobility issues or disabilities that are unable to go outside for regular exercise. If you're interested in having a chat with someone or volunteering as a caller, visit their website to apply!

Join an online club

Lots of us have become accustomed to our weekly hobby club meetings operating virtually this year. This has worked well for book and film club-goers' and has given members activities to complete and time to connect with others.

The Cares Family has embraced the digital age and is bringing people together from all walks of life. This intersectional social club has over 18,000 members today and works out of London, Liverpool and Manchester. They host all sorts, from quizzes to dancing to yoga, organisers have found a way to move all of their events online.

CEO Alex Smith, says that the club provides essential support to its members in challenging times. "We've seen older people support younger people to feel less anxious about the world, and to gain patience and perspective; and we've seen younger people support older people with daily phone calls, friendship and connection to the world".

Make music with others digitally

If you're a creative type, you may have been missing the times you could get together with friends to make music or participate in choirs. Like The Sofa Singers, many choir groups have moved their practices online to uplift viewers.

Other groups like Shared Harmonies run free singing events online. Emily Baylin, the founder of Shared Harmonies, has said that the classes are to "improve confidence, communication and wellbeing through inspirational singing" and have welcomed over 300 members so far. Group members range from 3 to 92 in age, and the group are hoping to hold a 'ring and sing' event for members without access to the internet.

If you're a keen instrumentalist, the Benedetti Foundation might be for you. They bring together amateur musicians, holding lessons and workshops for free.

We think all of these groups are fantastic and a great way to stay connected and proactively deal with loneliness.

Take a walk with a friend

Although the weather isn't always permitting at the moment, taking a walk with a friend can be great to clear the mind and get out for an hour or two. Even if you take a stroll alone, it can be an excellent way to de-stress and get some exercise too.

Under current government advice, you can go for a walk with a member of your household or support bubble if you (or they) live alone. Just keep to your local area.

Long-time walkers say that going for frequent strolls is "not only good for your health, but there's also something wonderful about not directly facing someone that makes it easier to have a conversation", which also works for social distancing purposes too!

Forcing yourself out for a walk will quickly show you how to fight loneliness, one step at a time.

Connect via social media or video

The internet has brought us all closer together, but it can exacerbate that feeling of loneliness when viewing posts from friends in other countries or families that live together. Connecting with others experiencing the same loneliness can be made much easier through social media or video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Skype.

If video calls really aren't your thing or you don't have anyone to contact right now, sometimes meeting a stranger can combat that lonely feeling. Join a new hobby group on Facebook. Follow a trend on Instagram or thousands of people online on platforms like Twitterhave been offering up their inboxes to others needing a chat or looking for a friend.

Covid might have made it hard to meet new people, but it's not impossible with social media!

Volunteer this year

The volunteering landscape has drastically changed this year due to the pandemic. However, there are still ample opportunities to help others in your community. Crisis; a UK homeless charity, is actively seeking volunteers right now to run online activities, make calls to members, or even perform live to an audience over Zoom.

Meals on Wheel is also looking for helpers to deliver meals to people who are unable to go to the shops or aren't able to prepare their own meals in 2021. A member of this organisation stated, "people who work as volunteers always say they're doing two things at once - they do something practical but also help people to connect and build relationships".

You can also check for local volunteering opportunities to support your community.As we find ourselves in yet another national lockdown, we can use volunteering as a great way to help vulnerable people while also fighting off our own loneliness.

2020 was a year where we witnessed communities come together and see our nation focus on everyone's collective wellbeing. In 2021 we all must pledge to continue this collective consciousness and support anyone we can in our communities. Loneliness can be detrimental to our health and happiness. Make sure to put into action some methods to fight it and reach out to others as often as possible!