By Zeenat Noorani
First posted on LinkedIn on 10 April 2023
Over the past couple of days, I have sat here thinking about the Lets Talk Better event on Loneliness and Connection which will be held on the 26th of May 2023.
And recently, having a conversation with Helayna Carole Jenkins, Principal Loneliness Campion of Bromley, and Darren Weale, I knew that in my thinking I was not alone. And that our past experiences had similar linings.
The word #loneliness has really got me thinking even more deeply, especially because I have been impacted by this feeling of isolation on many occasions for numerous factors in life, and there are people really close to me who are suffering from this and it is impacting their #mentalhealth .
I want to ask you your thoughts on #loneliness … Often the perception is that it is associated with the elderly generation… This is not the case.
👉🏼 Can you be happy but be lonely at the same time?
👉🏼 How do you see or define the meaning of loneliness and the impact it can have on our mental #wellbeing?
👉🏼 Is it possible to feel connected and lonely at the same time?
👉🏼 Is it always possible to see signs of when someone is lonely?
👉🏼 What factors come into play that you believe can lead to loneliness?
We are so lucky and thanks to the proliferation of digital technology we can remain connected- pretty much anytime and anywhere with people at our fingertips. Yet, at the same time, there are people that feel lonely and sad but not necessarily depressed. Though depression is a growing concern as a direct impact of loneliness, more and more.
🤔Do you ever get the feeling, somewhere between your chest and your gut — this sensation of something being not quite right, that something is missing? A feeling of being more, yet less, connected than ever. And it’s a feeling that appears to be becoming increasingly common.
‼️Please do not suffer in silence. Reach out to someone (family member, trusted friend, or a professional) and talk. There is hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
If you know that someone is feeling down and their behaviour patterns have changed, reach out to them and give them your ear and support.
Let's Talk Better C.I.C 