Our mind – not always our best friend
It is also very interesting to note that our
mind is not usually helpful in dealing with
such unpleasant emotions and situations.
Have you noticed that sometimes the
observation of ‘being alone’ can escalate
very quickly into “I am very lonely”, which
implies suffering and hardship? Usually
we have to prompt ourselves to remember
why we made the decisions that led to
us feeling lonely, for example; reminding
ourselves that we are trying to live a meaningful, adventurous and exciting life instead
of taking no risks.
Whereas unfortunately, thoughts like “Did
I make the right choice? I must be crazy
giving up everything back home for an
adventure!” seem to be constant background chatter in such situations. On top of
that, very often when we are suffering from
loneliness, our brain starts going around
and around in circles over past or possible
future events, which often results in avoidance of social interaction and feelings of
sadness and anxiety. This leads to even
more disconnection and a higher rating of
perceived loneliness.