Loneliness Awareness Week: What Support is Available

This week is Loneliness Awareness Week (15-21 June). Loneliness affects wellbeing by increasing stress and lowering mood. It can also raise the risk of mental and physical health problems. Loneliness is not just about being alone, it can be the need for connections not being met.

Loneliness can be different for everyone experiencing it. It can often appear as emotional loneliness when someone is lacking a close relationship, social loneliness is when a person lacks a group or community to belong to or it can present as existential loneliness (feeling disconnected even around others).

Loneliness is linked to anxiety, low mood, sleep problems, withdrawal from others and physical health risks such as heart disease, weakened immunity and cognitive decline.

Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust provides services which work to tackle these concerns. The YourHealth team offers a variety of services across Yorkshire and Humber and provide depth of knowledge and opportunity for people looking to not only make positive lifestyle changes but also sustain those lifestyle changes. Learn more about the wide range of YourHealth services on their website.

The Trust also offers their Recovery and Wellbeing College which provides opportunities for people to connect with others and take part in a range of activities to help improve mental and physical wellbeing. Their programme of events can be found on their website.