Dealing With Loneliness During the Holiday Season

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBe Good to YourselfUnderstand You’re Not AloneRethink Your ExpectationsGet ConnectedCultivate GratitudeGive to OthersExamine Your Feelings

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Be Good to Yourself

Understand You’re Not Alone

Rethink Your Expectations

Get Connected

Cultivate Gratitude

Give to Others

Examine Your Feelings

Close

The holiday season is generally thought of as a time of joy and love, but for many people, it’s a time ofloneliness. Some people live far from family and miss seeing their loved ones this time of year; others dread going to holiday parties andNew Year’s Evecelebrations and end up staying home.

It’s also common for people to feel emotional distance from the people they’re with, which can result in feeling lonely even when in a room full of people. For those who feel a sense of loneliness, holidays can be a time of additional stress, even those like Valentine’s Day or even Independence Day.The following suggestions can help.

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Taking time to do things that will enhance your self-esteem or at least give you a good dose of fun will not only take your focus off of feeling alone but can lift your spirits as well.

Understand That You’re Not Alone

While you may be feeling alone in your life right now, know that you’re not alone: The holidays can be a lonely time for many. Some people wish they could be with family, but can’t; others mourn the relationships with family that they wish they had or long for closer connections with friends. Similarly, some may wish for a supportive romantic relationship and find themselves feeling especially isolated during the holidays.

While it may be uncomfortable to feel lonely, it’s also OK to feel this way.

Talking to others who may share your feelings (either via the Internet or in real life) can help you to feel less alone in your situation.

Part of why holidays feel more lonely for many people is that our society has high expectations for this time of year. The absence of a romantic partner or a close family seems magnified during this busy time when we’re all supposed to be going to parties, exchanging gifts, and enjoying jolly feelings with loved ones.

One way to deal with the feelings of loneliness is to rethink your expectations. For example, realizing that it’s just fine to take a good friend (instead of “the perfect date”) to a holiday party, or that the imperfect love of a difficult family member still counts as love, has helped many people feel less lonely.

It’s also important to realize that few people’s lifestyles truly measure up to “movie standards” of perfect living, and in doing so, shift your focus to all the great things you do have in your life. Note: Social media can create significant amounts of stress in this area, so do your best to count your blessings instead of comparing yourself to others and the life they portray online.

How to Cultivate Social Support

There are many far-reachingbenefits to practicing gratitude. One easy antidote to feelings of lack is to cultivate feelings of gratitude for what you have; it’s hard to focus on both at once.

If you’re feeling a lack of love in your life, make a concerted effort to focus on the love that you do have—from friends, family, neighbors, and even pets. You can also focus on things you really value in your life like your work, hobbies, or even your potential.

Maintaining agratitude journalcan be a wonderful exercise in cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Better still, it can leave you with a written record of everything you have to value in your life to read through when you’re feeling down.

One particularly meaningful way to feel less lonely during the holidays is to donate your time to a cause you believe in.Helping others who are less fortunate can fill you with feelings of love and pride.

It also can remind you of all you have to be grateful for, and even connect you with others who share your passion. You’ll be part of something larger than yourself, and you’ll be immersing yourself in the true spirit of the holiday season.

Perhaps someone in your community has lost their job and can use a little extra goodwill. Drop off an unexpected gift on their doorstep, or reach out to find out if they’re having trouble affording a specific present for a little one on their list.

How Helping Others Can Reduce Stress

Though this particular exercise probably won’t make you feel better immediately, if you feel lonely much of the time, this may be a sign that some changes are in order. You may want to examine what’s behind your feelings of loneliness, either on your own or with the help of a therapist. There are many ways toconnect with a therapist online, so you don’t even have to leave your home.

Would you benefit from putting more time into your social life so that you have stronger relationships? Is something inside of you causing you to keep people at a distance? If you’d like to deepen your friendships, it can cost a little extra time and energy, but the payoff is having increased support and feelings of being heard and understood.

Making time for friends, truly listening when your friends talk, and being there for them are all ways to build supportive friendships.

Creating Supportive Friendships for Stress Relief

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A Word From Verywell

If you or a loved one are struggling with loneliness or depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with loneliness or depression, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

Loneliness and Mental Health Distress Have a Cyclical Relationship

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Palmer SJ.Study finds lonely cardiac patients are at higher risk of all-cause mortality.Br J Card Nurs. 2019;14(12):1-5. doi:10.12968/bjca.2019.0129Bridger O, Evans R.Tackling loneliness and social isolation in Reading, England(Participation Research Lab research report). University of Reading, Participation Lab; October 2019.Smith JM.Toward a better understanding of loneliness in community-dwelling older adults.J Psychol. 2012;146(3):293-311. doi:10.1080/00223980.2011.602132Pittman M.Creating, consuming, and connecting: Examining the relationship between social media engagement and loneliness.Journal of Social Media in Society. 2015;4(1).Bartlett MY, Arpin SN.Gratitude and loneliness: Enhancing health and well-being in older adults.Res Aging. 2019;41(8):772-793. doi:10.1177/0164027519845354Bouwman TE, Aartsen MJ, Van tilburg TG, Stevens NL.Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program.J Soc Pers Relat. 2017;34(6):793-811. doi:10.1177/0265407516659158

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Palmer SJ.Study finds lonely cardiac patients are at higher risk of all-cause mortality.Br J Card Nurs. 2019;14(12):1-5. doi:10.12968/bjca.2019.0129Bridger O, Evans R.Tackling loneliness and social isolation in Reading, England(Participation Research Lab research report). University of Reading, Participation Lab; October 2019.Smith JM.Toward a better understanding of loneliness in community-dwelling older adults.J Psychol. 2012;146(3):293-311. doi:10.1080/00223980.2011.602132Pittman M.Creating, consuming, and connecting: Examining the relationship between social media engagement and loneliness.Journal of Social Media in Society. 2015;4(1).Bartlett MY, Arpin SN.Gratitude and loneliness: Enhancing health and well-being in older adults.Res Aging. 2019;41(8):772-793. doi:10.1177/0164027519845354Bouwman TE, Aartsen MJ, Van tilburg TG, Stevens NL.Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program.J Soc Pers Relat. 2017;34(6):793-811. doi:10.1177/0265407516659158

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Palmer SJ.Study finds lonely cardiac patients are at higher risk of all-cause mortality.Br J Card Nurs. 2019;14(12):1-5. doi:10.12968/bjca.2019.0129Bridger O, Evans R.Tackling loneliness and social isolation in Reading, England(Participation Research Lab research report). University of Reading, Participation Lab; October 2019.Smith JM.Toward a better understanding of loneliness in community-dwelling older adults.J Psychol. 2012;146(3):293-311. doi:10.1080/00223980.2011.602132Pittman M.Creating, consuming, and connecting: Examining the relationship between social media engagement and loneliness.Journal of Social Media in Society. 2015;4(1).Bartlett MY, Arpin SN.Gratitude and loneliness: Enhancing health and well-being in older adults.Res Aging. 2019;41(8):772-793. doi:10.1177/0164027519845354Bouwman TE, Aartsen MJ, Van tilburg TG, Stevens NL.Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program.J Soc Pers Relat. 2017;34(6):793-811. doi:10.1177/0265407516659158

Palmer SJ.Study finds lonely cardiac patients are at higher risk of all-cause mortality.Br J Card Nurs. 2019;14(12):1-5. doi:10.12968/bjca.2019.0129

Bridger O, Evans R.Tackling loneliness and social isolation in Reading, England(Participation Research Lab research report). University of Reading, Participation Lab; October 2019.

Smith JM.Toward a better understanding of loneliness in community-dwelling older adults.J Psychol. 2012;146(3):293-311. doi:10.1080/00223980.2011.602132

Pittman M.Creating, consuming, and connecting: Examining the relationship between social media engagement and loneliness.Journal of Social Media in Society. 2015;4(1).

Bartlett MY, Arpin SN.Gratitude and loneliness: Enhancing health and well-being in older adults.Res Aging. 2019;41(8):772-793. doi:10.1177/0164027519845354

Bouwman TE, Aartsen MJ, Van tilburg TG, Stevens NL.Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program.J Soc Pers Relat. 2017;34(6):793-811. doi:10.1177/0265407516659158

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