Loneliness

Lots of us can feel lonely at times and for many different reasons. You don't have to be on your own to feel lonely and there can be other factors that are impacting your feelings of loneliness which are personal and unique to you.
 
Certain life events or experiences may make you feel lonely, such as:

• Experiencing a loss of someone close to you
• The end of a relationship
• Friends moving away
• Key dates in the year (including birthdays and at Christmas)
• Starting college or university as a new student 
• Welcoming a child
• Moving somewhere new

How loneliness affects our wellbeing

Feeling lonely can have a negative impact on your mental health, especially if you have felt lonely for a long time.

Some research suggests that loneliness can increase stress. It is also associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, for example, depression, anxiety, low mood and sleep problems.

If loneliness is affecting your mental health and your daily life then TALKWORKS, Devon's NHS talking therapies service can help. You can self-refer, without seeing your GP.

How TALKWORKS can help

At TALKWORKS, our qualified therapists will see you for an initial assessment, to understand how you are feeling and will then work with you on care and treatment options, which are based on using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches.

They will help you to set achievable goals and create manageable routines to boost your mood and improve your overall mental wellbeing.

CBT is an evidence-based talking therapy that can help you change your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to overcome your problems.