Mental Health Awareness Week — Dealing with Loneliness

Monday 9 May to Sunday 15 May 2022 is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme of this year’s Mental Health week is loneliness. Writing about loneliness can be challenging as it affects everyone from all walks of life — yet at the same time, it can be one of life’s most painful experiences. Even just the thought of loneliness can trigger sadness. And yet… there is hope.

I believe as human beings we are created for relationships. I am not just talking about romantic or marital relationships. I am referring to relationships on all level such as family, work, friends, or even faith-based relationships. I have read in some research articles that we are social animals. There is an element of truth to this statement. We thrive when we connect with others on a social level or on a common cause where we share a mutual interest.

The pandemic was a tough time, and perhaps even a traumatic time for most people, where we had to stare loneliness and social isolation in the face for the last two years. It is only this year, that we are returning slowly but surely to some form of normality or ‘new normal’, as all restrictions globally have been lifted.

Every day this week, on this blog site, we will journey together on tackling loneliness. This will be an opportunity for me during this Mental Health Awareness week to encourage you with tips and strategies on how you can deal with and overcome loneliness.