Depression Prevention: Dealing with Loneliness

Solitude, while to some is a delightful experience, to many it is a gateway to depression. For those that find it delighting it is time to reflect and plan for the future; time to discover their creativity – History shows that many discoveries take place during the period of solitude. However, this period brings to some people the feelings of loneliness and sadness, and may result to depression if unchecked. Sometimes one can feel lonely even in company of others especially if one is not compatible with them - whether in mindsets, orientation or aspiration. How one prevents the depression is largely dependent on how one responds to the feeling of loneliness, especially if the solitude is unavoidable.

To deal with loneliness one can find something specific to do. This helps to organize, direct and coordinate the psychic energy, and in the process brings harmony to the mind. When the mind is harmonized the feelings of joy and satisfaction ensue.

There is always something to do like taking up a book, mowing the lawn or any other domestic chore. By directing all the attention to it one can turn it into an interesting task. The main point here is ‘focusing the attention until there is no room left in the mind for worry’.

Another thing one can engage in is intellectual workout that can be done alone. For example, anticipating a future situation and devising ways to approach it; reflecting on the previous actions – without accommodating any negative feeling but focusing on improvement – and making amendments to them where necessary, in case the situation repeats itself later in the future one can use the new approach to get a better result.

Mathematical, scientific and philosophical thinking and observation, arts and poetry fall in this category. For both the hobbyists and the professionals in this fields almost everything around can be an object of observation and contemplation or a source of inspiration – one could imagine how remarkable and fascinating it was falling of a fruit in the contemplative mind of Isaac Newton.

The methods above can be used to stem the effect of loneliness, and prevent it from slipping into depression; to turn the period of solitude into a moment of happiness and satisfaction.