Loneliness Doesn't Go Away After Christmas

[AsleepInYorkshire]

We can all have moments when we feel lonely. Whilst working at home reduces interruptions and the opportunity to focus on one task at a time presents itself, I find, occasionally, I would just like to talk to someone, even if just for five minutes. I can pop out for lunch and meet my good lady for a cup of tea every now and again. But for the most it can become too quiet.

Which got me to thinking that I can't be the only one who feels lonely every now and again. I collect my daughter from school at 3.30 and my good lady gets home from work at 5.30. So I can look forward to their company on an evening.

Some live alone though. Their loneliness may in relative terms have more impact upon them. Be kind. Be friendly and whenever you can offer a break for someone else's loneliness. It' doesn't have to be a chore. And of course you can only give what you feel works for you.

I understand loneliness more than I would like. It doesn't mean I am on a mission to change the world. Hell no. And I know I have a serious issue with being trite.

There are many amongst us who are lonely. Sometimes, like me, for the odd hour, others are less fortunate. And there's only so many jigsaws they can complete to help break the monotony of the day.

AiY

[MaraMan]

Very well said. There are so many lonely people and I would always encourage people to make use of services such as the Samaritans or similar like Silverline. You do not have to be suicidal to call them, a large proportion of callers are lonely and just want to talk to someone.

MM

[didds]

whilst not suggesting this is a one size fits all suitable for everybody (because it isn't clearly) this is why institutions like "the pub" (other community and social establishments are available) are so important as places where the lonely can go and find a friendly face and a conversation (maybe not in pubs where TVs and loud music rule of course...) and on a daily basis pretty much.

didds

[sg31]

Sometimes you don't even need to speak to people to stop feeling lonely, just being in a busy place with ither conversations going on around you can be a great help. Obviously person to person contact is better still even if it is a few seconds chat to a cashier in a supermarket.

The hosebound miss out on even these benefits.

[Rhyd6]

I've often thought that major retailers etc. which have complaints departments are missing a huge trick here. A friends grandaughter worked in the complaints dept. of a large food supplier but left after a few weeks as she couldn't stand people phoning up moaning. It seems that no-one lasted in this dept. for more than about 8 weeks. Many lonely people would love to have phone calls and from my experience handle such calls much more sympathetically than youngsters. I'm sure that they wouldn't even have to leave home as in todays world of technology phone calls could be diverted to their own phones. It would give them something to look forward to for say a couple of days a week. When my friend, who is in her late 60s but not very mobile, was telling me about her grandaughter she finished with "I'd love to be busy and useful even for a couple of days a week and it would be smashing to have loads of phone calls even if they only wanted to moan".

R6