NEEDHAM , MASSACHUSETTS , UNITED STATES, January 4, 2023/ EINPresswire.com / -- Dana Group Associates released a guide on loneliness during the holiday season and how to cope. The guide explains how many feel more alone during the holidays – especially if they are struggling with grief or a difficult life event.

The guide also differentiates loneliness from feeling alone – explaining that even in a room full of people, one can feel alone. Holiday loneliness can have several causes, including:

• Unrealistic expectations and FOMO during the holidays
• Struggling with grief or being far from family and friends
• Having a behavioral health issue
• Living with a chronic condition, such as chronic pain or mobility issues

Loneliness can have an impact that goes beyond feeling bad at the moment. Loneliness can impact the mind and body, causing brain chemical changes, increasing cortisol production, and speeding up aging.

For people struggling with loneliness during the holiday, Dana Group provides six key tips for feeling more connected and content during this season.

1) Connect with long-distance family and friends using technology when seeing each other in person isn’t possible.

2) Focus on a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, exercising, and making time for self-care.

3) Reach out and spend time with others who are lonely, such as someone who has lost a loved one or couldn’t travel home for the holidays.

4) Decrease loneliness by practicing gratitude, volunteering, donating to a good cause, or helping a loved one.

5) Accept feelings of loneliness and reach out to a loved one to explain these difficult feelings.

6) Seek professional help from a behavioral health professional and talk about loneliness or other mental health issues.

Many people imagine the holidays to be a time of togetherness and tradition, which can make being – or feeling – alone even more difficult. A behavioral health professional can help determine the cause of loneliness and identify healthy coping methods that can make the holidays and beyond a happier time.

Dana Group is a behavioral health facility in Massachusetts with locations in Needham, Norwell, and Hanover. Learn more at the Dana Group website or schedule a behavioral health appointment today.

Miguel Saravia
Dana Group Associates
+1 781-429-7755
email us here