BY NATASHA COMBRINK
One sneaky sign that you might be lonelier than you think is engaging in excessive escapism, like prolonged social media use or gaming, as it could indicate an attempt to fill a void and avoid facing reality, potentially preventing you from making meaningful connections that help alleviate loneliness.
Forming genuine connections is challenging when you have many friends, as superficial interactions like small talk with strangers or prioritizing social media engagement can leave you feeling unfulfilled, and to satisfy your deeper emotional needs, it's important to invest time and effort in authentic relationships where you're open, vulnerable, and genuinely interested in others.
Using substances as a means to escape loneliness can lead to addiction and harmful cycles, emphasizing the importance of seeking healthier ways to combat loneliness and connect with others.
Like substances, work can become an addictive avoidance strategy, potentially indicating loneliness when you constantly fill your schedule with tasks to avoid addressing your emotional needs.
Chronic exhaustion, despite adequate sleep and attempts to boost energy, may be linked to loneliness, as a lack of quality connections can drain your emotional reserves and make you feel perpetually tired.
Inconsistent emotions, fluctuating between happiness and despair, may indicate underlying loneliness, as true contentment is not dependent on external factors and connections.
If you find yourself binge-watching shows, abusing substances, experiencing poor sleep quality, mood swings, and weight fluctuations, it could be a sign that loneliness is impacting your emotional state and eating habits, as loneliness often leads to overeating and a desire for emotional connection.