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The Hidden Epidemic of Loneliness Is Now
One Of The Leading Problems Of Our Time…
LONELINESS LEVELS ARE SOARING TO CRISIS POINT AND SET TO GET WORSE… THE SIMPLE NEED-FRIENDSHIP-IS NOW BECOMING BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST!
My name is Jeraline George and I am the founder of Lijeke Creative Counselling, a multi-award winning, London-based, counselling service. With over a decade’s experience in the counselling profession I work, by telephone, face-to-face and online with individuals who are struggling with feelings of sadness, depression and/or anger which is linked to loneliness due to:
Divorce or separation
Bereavement and the loss of a loved one
Feeling shy and anxious around others
Moving to a new city and feeling isolated
Being married or in a long term relationship but having nothing in common with your partner
The lack of a romantic relationship or friendship even though you appear outgoing and friendly
Alone Is Not Lonely
Many people are unaware that the two are different. To be alone is to be by oneself.  You may or may not FEEL lonely when you are alone, but the only important condition for being alone is that there is no one else around you. Being alone is an important part of our lives.  Where as to be lonely, is to suffer the feelings of loneliness, to want people, social contact, and yet feeling unable to get any.  It is quite possible to feel lonely when you are alone, and it is also possible to feel lonely when you are NOT alone.  Many people report feelings of loneliness when they are in a crowd, and are surrounded by people.
What Is Loneliness?
According to the mental health foundation loneliness is reaching crisis point within the UK and the following is just some of the effects it can have on you:
Increased stress and anxiety levels
Addictions to substances
A fear of being disliked and not knowing how to relate to others
Feelings of anger, sadness, depression, worthlessness, resentment, emptiness, vulnerability and pessimism
Being emotionally detached to avoid rejection or heart ache which leads to others distancing themselves from you
Loneliness can be described as a social pain that you experience when you don’t have the social connections and the intimacy you want.  If it becomes long-term and critical it can affect your physical and emotional health.
You’re Not Alone… Some Statistics
A recent poll by Yours Magazine found Two-thirds of under 18’s did not find Britain to be friendly, and the same level of people of all ages said they ‘feel lonely’ and would like someone to have a chat and a coffee with. Also a recent article featured in Metro Newspaper found ‘making proper mates’ increasingly difficult amongst young people, even in the light of Facebook where many people had an average of 243 ‘friends’.  
Many feel technology is actually isolating people and contributing to loneliness – as the social networks are not necessarily ‘so