I feel like isolating myself, but deep inside I am very lonely. What do I do?

You might fear that by letting someone in, they might hurt you. Isolating yourself is a defense mechanism against it.

Realize that loneliness is a feeling, not a fact. When you are feeling lonely, it is because something has triggered a memory of that feeling, not because you are in fact, isolated and alone. The brain is designed to pay attention to pain and danger, and that includes painful scary feelings; therefore loneliness gets our attention.

You feel lonely, but company of other people is not helping you cure yourself. You may like to spend a little while alone, with you self, and learn about yourself. You could learn to live your own company, which would help get rid of loneliness. You may try new hobbies alone, read, write, etc. Find out where in your interest lies and learn to love yourself. You shall find that after this step, the company of others is sweeter than before.

Socialize. I completely understand that that probably sounds like the worst possible option right now and that the word itself might even scare you a little, it is the only way to cure isolation. Being alone is healthy from time to time but isolating yourself all the time is not a good way to live. Human beings are built for community. Please, don't be afraid to embrace it. It will take time, it will take energy but it feels wonderful once you allow yourself to open up to what's around you. Of course, I don't know your entire situation, so you can do with this advice what you will but please be safe, healthy, and stay strong.

Well from my personal experience it can be very tempting to isolate yourself, however if you are feeling lonely then maybe you could call or start a conversation with a friend or spend some time with family or others that care about you.

Sometimes isolating yourself is easier when the social scene is so hard to navigate. However, your true desire seems to be companionship. I would say start by doing activities you like which you can also share with others. Having mutual interests is a very common way to bond with others.

It sounds like you need to learn how to be alone with out being lonely. Get outside your comfort zone and achieve something you didn't think you could, like I went to the movies alone and ate by myself. It may seem small but those were huge anxieties for me. Once you learn to love yourself it's easier to find people to love you and let them love you.

I struggle with this often. The reason we often isolate ourselves is because we feel we don't fit in, or we don't vibe with the people around us.. but I find the best thing is pushing myself to get out there and find like minded people, people I can be my authentic self with.. don't hang out with the people who drain your energy or damper your self confidence.. take baby steps to put yourself out there, even if you just start with daily acts of self care and love that could help boost your confidence. Your tribe of people is out there. Push yourself to be proactive and you'll find your people. I promise its worth it. You're worth it.

When you feel the need to isolate yourself but at the same time feel lonely, I suggest in the moment, journaling about those thoughts in depth and honestly. Then, if you can, start by going out for a walk, or sitting in a cafe. You can be around people without necessarily speaking to them if you and your level of anxiety aren't there yet. Maybe go to the gym, call up a friend and take a walk or watch something together, etc. Start small, then gradually go up. :)

Life is about creating a balance. Sometimes it's good to be alone - when you just need space and time to yourself. Everybody has these times. But sometimes you need other people to lean on and give you support. It's always good to have friends and family to rely on, and if you ever feel like being alone, just say that!

In 7 cups there listners that will care and support you. You are in a caring enviorment feel free to express yourself.

Reach out to others around you! Often times, our feelings of wanting to be alone can stem from a misconception that since nobody wants to talk to me, I am better off alone. Trust me, we all feel the same away. Making the first move by saying "Hi" to a classmate or making plans with old friends can make you happier and more willing to continue forming relations. Never convince yourself that you don't need anybody else (everybody needs somebody else). Even though that first hurdle of greeting somebody can seem high, doing it can not only help you overcome your feelings of loneliness, but it can also make someone else's day!

Find yourself and u will never feel lonely.. Isolating has cons but it has pros too... Introspection and know what makes u happy will make u a better person. You should get involved in activities you haven’t tried like swimming, hiking etc. Read or do things you are passionate about Meditate Make a loan for everyday Write a journal Join the weirdest class/club u know Visit an old age home or orphanage to understand life again Adopt an animal Have a date with your parents Talk to yourself (most important) Make new memories Cry if u feel sad Laugh If u are happy Know you are loved (tho it’s difficult) ..but it’s worth trying

Hi there! I too have been through a struggle of loneliness for sometime until once a good friend of mine told me something that enlightened me. He said, "One can be lonely when they have no one around them and one can also be lonely even though they may have all the people around them" This has helped me understand it's all a feeling that would come from within, and all that is within is driven by you. You need to completely ownership of your life and make the necessary change and do what's best for you to fight this very emotion we call 'loneliness'

Try to be social, go out with some friends and get your mind off whatever is going on. But most importantly, remember that being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely, so spend time with yourself....Try to do something that really connects with you, like listening to music or drawing. Time with yourself is precious, and trust me, we all need it from time to time x

I am afraid that in this stressful world it is quite usual to feel lonely; I don´t say it´s all right, I just think more and more people deal with their loneliness. Maybe we are living too fast and too self-centered lives and forget to care about others. That´s such a pity! The good news is we can deal with the loneliness together. :) For me it was very helpful to concentrate on somebody or something very meaningful – e.g. a soul-mate, an inspirational colleague or a regular hobby – a well selected hobby may turn into passion and fill our lives on a long-term basis. We can become passionate readers (to be honest, I have never felt alone with a book in my hand), lifelong students, emphatic teachers, sensitive poets, wonderful artists… Can you imagine that the power of poetry or of a painting might be so incredible that it can force some people to cry? I was crying standing before Renoir´s paintings surrounded by other visitors and didn´t feel ashamed at all. You can do it by creating art, too – I mean influence someone’s inner world so deep, that he or she will remember that strong feeling during the whole lifetime. To build a strong and close friendship or find a wonderful colleague may take time. Yes, it can take a lot of time, but if it comes, it’s wonderful to know there is a warm-hearted and valuable being you can rely on. And you are there for him or her, too! :) By the way, when talking about friends, can you imagine adopting a very special friend who would really need your full attention? Dogs or cats can be our listeners, they can be our friends, our healers. We also may try our best to avoid negative thoughts about ourselves being lonely – it really might be only our subjective feeling. Instead of that we can try to concentrate on something which would make us and others happy. And yes, I am sure it would be quite appreciated to be patient with ourselves. Strange, but I remember the times when I felt totally lonely in the office. These were those times when I lost patience with myself while learning hard things and thought there was nobody to encourage me. Everything takes time, life is not a competition. So, dear ourselves… Please bear with us – we are doing our best. :)

Isolate yourself. Feel lonely. Cry... But whatever you do, do it with a loved one. With your best friend, with your family. Crying alone is more hurtful than just crying.

try to connect with people here :) one person at a time, you won't be judged because you will stay anonymous and you will have a company :)

You might want to consider finding friends or finding a hobby to keep you busy and take your mind off of stress.

I do isolate myself a lot, feeling sorry for myself and feeling lonely all the time. I try to get out of my room and sit outside for once. Sometimes I go on walks. And sometimes I try to out of my way to find a friend who'd like to hang out. Or I come online to try to talk to strangers about it. But it's really different for every person. You can even vent it out in a journal or something. That helps.

speak to someone who you think will listen to you. remember we are here for you anytime you want to talk to us

Why do you feel so lonely inside? Perhaps you need a period of self reflection. Loneliness is often a cry for help and you probably really need yourself right now. You are not "isolating" yourself in a negative way, simply caring for you first. That way you can be the best you for you, and those you care about. Try to extend yourself more to those around you but don't feel pressured. Be patient with yourself and let things flow.

Many a times I have found myself in this situation and still am. I isolate myself and it seemed decent enough so stick to it was what I thought but I had friends who did not leave me. None of them know how I feel but it was supportive to have them by my side even when I tried to isolate myself from them. So if you have a friend that is isolating themselves from people but is lonely, do not leave them. Stick to them like glue and stay by their side. It helps

Push yourself to interact! We all need social contact and support. Start with something small like a phone call and move on to meeting with people face-to-face. Make plans and DON'T cancel them. If you keep isolating yourself you'll get more lonely and want to isolate more and it will turn into a vicious cycle. CONNECT with someone!

Try talking to someone about these feelings. Even if it's on here, don't let yourself slip into isolation. Friends, family, anonymous listeners... Someone is bound to want to help you. If no one will be there out in the real world, please keep in mind that we are here too! A listener is always available and ready to talk if you need to. Please feel better! :)

Loneliness means you are in desperate need of yourself. Please, put yourself first and love yourself. It takes time but you will be glad you did this for yourself.

it is great to spend some you time but not too much you time, do stuff when you feel ready too no need to rush!

Hello there! I'm glad you've found the 7Cups community :) If you find you're not ready for real communities, you can try out virtual communities based on your hobbies first. Once you're slowly comfortable with that, then you can start trying to meet people one on one. And then from there proceed to group gatherings :) Always take time for yourself and make yourself comfortable before you move on :)

Deep inside everyone is alone.The best part of our life is we being our best version inside,So don't feel bad for these things,Try to connect externally and maintain that lonely self inside.

I can't say have a specific answer that will tell you why or what you may do for resolution. I know personally that I don't know of almost anyone who I know who doesn't become lonely at occassional times. As someone who has gotten an introverted title from personality tests I think it's common personally to want to surround myself with people occassionally even if alone time is something that is ideal for me to settle down for the day. I think one thing I've thought over the years is to consider why I want to be alone or spend time around people. Do I hope to spend time helping others or perhaps spend time with them? Is it solely at work for me or also when I'm off work? What does this mean for my friend and what can I offer them in return for their time? Do I feel a void to serve others in my community? Perhaps do I want to give company? Do I feel like self isolating to avoid something? Do I need to change friends circles and am I looking for community or friendship?Some people I know have joined groups, played sports, or even volunteered. Some people at my church seem to gain a lot of connection with each other too. I think isolating does sometimes concern me in my own life if I dont know why or if its used for avoiding an issue but I never felt that I have gone to long without trying to occassionally speak with others. I know this may not fully answer your question in a specific manner but I hope it can offer thoughts on the experience.