Have you ever felt an overwhelming feeling of loneliness that you just can’t put a finger on? It comes and goes in waves, and sometimes, you don’t even know why it’s there.

We’ve all felt it at some point in our lives; some people even live with it constantly. But not a lot of people fully understand what loneliness is and why you feel it.

Loneliness is a complex emotion; one that varies from person to person. Everyone experiences it in their own unique way and while it’s a harmless, natural emotion, there are cases when the feeling is more intense than normal, and lingers for longer than it should—that can prove to be dangerous.

There is no single cause for loneliness—it can arise for a multitude of reasons. This is also why treatment and prevention for this often ignored state of mind vary greatly.

Let’s take a look at this by way of individual needs. A lonely child who finds it hard to fit in and make friends at school has different needs than a senior citizen whose partner recently passed away. In order to fully understand the feeling of loneliness, it is important to define what we mean by the term ‘lonely’.

Loneliness—An Explanation

The most common definitions of loneliness describe it as a state of solitude or being alone, but that’s only partially true. Loneliness is actually a state of mind. It causes people to withdraw into themselves, feel empty, and neglected. People who are lonely often crave human connection, but find it hard to connect with people because of their altered state of mind.

Many experts say that loneliness is not necessarily about being alone. Instead, it is more about feeling alone—even when you’re surrounded by people. For example, a freshman at college might be surrounded by their peers, classmates, dorm-mates and friends all the time, and still feel lonely.

Causes Of Loneliness

There is no one cause of loneliness that we can blame for the impact it has. Rather, scientists say that there are multiple reasons. Some argue that loneliness is related to genetics.

Other studies show that loneliness can be the result of unmet social and intimate needs.

Further contributing factors involve situational variables like being kept in isolation, moving, and going through emotional separation; for example, the loss of a loved one or a divorce.

Additionally, persistent loneliness may also sometimes indicate a serious psychological disorder such as depression.

There are several other internal factors that loneliness can be attributed to, including low self-esteem, confidence issues, and an unclear self-image.

Health Risks Associated With Loneliness

Contrary to popular opinion, loneliness isn’t just damaging to our emotional states, it also poses negative effects on our physical health, carrying serious risks. Some of these include:

• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
• Faster progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• Altered brain functions

Scientists also suggest that loneliness can lead to an early death, being just as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Aside from this, researchers have observed that lonely adults tend to consume more alcohol, and get significantly less exercise than people who are not lonely.

Loneliness also leads to premature aging by disrupting the regulation of cellular processes within our bodies.

Tips To Prevent And Overcome Loneliness

Loneliness can get overwhelming and can make you believe that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, but here’s the truth: it can be overcome. Even though it requires a lot of conscious effort, there are ways to start the healing process and empower people to start making a positive change in their lives.

Here are some ways to prevent and overcome loneliness:

• Get professional psychological help. A therapist can help your recognize why you are feeling this way and make the changes necessary in order to heal from it.
• Learn about loneliness and understand the effects it can have on your life.
• Consider social work or community service; these activities present opportunities to meet people with a positive mindset and cultivate healthy relationships with peers.
• Focus on the needs and feeling of others. This will divert your mind from lonely and depressive thoughts.
• Practice kindness. Being kind encourages positivity.

NIKU And Loneliness

Even though the methods mentioned above help a great deal, sometimes, loneliness can arise from unmet needs of the past; the only proper way to heal from it is to go back and satisfy your unfulfilled needs.

Fortunately, these needs can be fixed. Using reframing, your unfulfilled needs can be given an entirely new context, making it easier to meet, even in adult hood.

To try out reframing, you can easily download NIKU, an app available on both, the Apple App Store and the Google PlayStore. The app works on ‘reframing needs’ and functions as an online psychological counselor or a life coach, helping you look at life with a fresh, new perspective.