The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to loneliness in Australia. This is especially so as Melburnians entered the strictest lockdown to date. Meanwhile, the rest of Australia braces for the possibility of a second wave and people are adapting to new habits and restrictions.
This has disrupted our social routines, and in many cases has reduced the number of people we interact with. This makes it harder to maintain meaningful social connections, resulting in loneliness.
But sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you’re feeling lonely or feeling something else. And many people are reluctant to admit they’re lonely for fear it makes them seem deficient in some way.
So what are the signs of loneliness? And how can we recognise these signs and therefore manage them?
Read more in this article from The Conversation, written by Michelle H Lim, senior lecturer and clinical psychologist at the Swinburne University of Technology.
Please feel free to share on your socials.