Feeling lonely when surrounded by people?
Many people feel lonely even when surrounded by others. Feeling alone and being in solitude is not the same. Feelings of loneliness reflect an inner state. For some, feeling that way shatters their capacity to reach out and be with others. Currently, 47% of generation Z complained of feeling lonely and not having a meaningful conversation for days. The millennials follow them quite closely in the statistics (Cigna, 2018).
Some individuals chose to isolate themselves, cutting off relations with the world in a defensive way. Then, solitude may be a symptom.
47% of generation Z feel lonely
Others suffer of loneliness in association with avoidant behavior. These individuals steer clear of social events to avoid experiencing criticism and rejection. They withdraw from social activities unless they have a chaperone. Eventually, they crave having friends but find themselves being solo. In other words, they wish to have more friends but often believe they don’t know how to do that. Besides, they don’t seem to overcome their worries associated with socializing. I often say that socializing is like a muscle: use it or lose it. Avoidant behavior increases social anxiety.
Solitude, on the contrary, is the capacity to be alone in the presence of other people. These individuals enjoy brief moments by themselves but socialize without troubles. Enjoying being alone is a positive experience. It could even be a sign of good health. This type of person can be truly good at connecting with people. They have achieved a healthy self-boundary and respect for others that allow them to be the best listeners out there. That is, they can listen to you, instead of listening in a narcissistic way.
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6 Signs of Depression You Should Know About
Depression is feeling blue and losing interest in previously enjoyable activities for over two weeks in adults. Some people also present anxiety symptoms within a depressive state, such as irritability, or fidgety. Depression does not have to be part of our daily life, but everyone feels sad from time to time. So, when is it time to seek help? In general, if it is self-correcting, short-term and does not disrupt your life too much, then it is safe to say that you will likely be fine. Just as you would with any other health condition, you might want to talk to a professional when your symptoms start to disrupt your everyday life.
Six warning signs to keep in mind:
-Changes in body mass without purposely trying to lose or gain weight.
-Changes in sleep. Maybe you started to have difficulty staying asleep or feeling tired when you woke up. At times, feeling like being switched off and without energy after sleeping all day.
-Feelings of sadness. Finding yourself tearful and hopeless or “down in the dumps” sometimes for no reason. When you feel no enthusiasm and with a sense of being “blah.”
-Feelings of worthlessness and guilt. Are you fixating on past letdowns and failures or finding other reasons for self-blame?
-Loss of interest. Those things you used to enjoy are not calling you anymore. Friends, sex, sports, and hobbies are left aside. Avoiding your friends and other activities because you are not in the mood for them, which is not normal for you.
-Experiencing difficulty thinking, concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things. When you no longer feel on top of things at work or at home. When you are just staring at the TV without following the storyline, and that is not what you do.
An excellent first practice is to call for help. If you are experiencing lows, irritability, and lack of interest in usually enjoyable activities. If you are far from feeling yourself, contact us or find a psychotherapist you trust. Someone that can give you a diagnosis and then advise you on which treatment might work best for you. Pay attention to your symptoms as there is a risk of suicide associated with this condition.
Avoid self-diagnosing as none of the above signs by itself is indicative of depression, and there may be other perfectly good reasons for each of these symptoms to occur. In addition, there are several types of depression, which may present in different ways. You can read more about types of depression here.
Know that you are unique
Can depression be cured?
Depression, like many mental health conditions, follows ‘the rule of thirds’: One-third of sufferers can make a full recovery, one-third will partially respond to treatment, and one-third will not benefit from treatment at all. Your age, the duration of your symptoms, having a family history of depression, and co-occurring mental or physical health difficulties might all affect your prognosis. Some researchers believe there is evidence for a ‘scarring’ effect, where the likelihood of suffering from a relapse in depression increases with the number of episodes you have already had.
Roth Clinic is a place free of judgmental attitudes. It is a healing working environment. A place where to start creating a path for self-growth. Dr. Roth has experience working on marriage, grief and loss, anger management, self-esteem, gender dysphoria, LGBTQIA+, coming out, crisis, family issues, PTSD, difficulties at school or work, and many other things. Adults, adolescents, couples, and families, have enjoyed the benefits of their healing journey. Make your life an enjoyable ride, too.