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323 a class, finding a church.” That takes work, she said, and for some it can be especially difficult. For people who are able to get out of the house, she sometimes suggests they say hello to people they meet. She may tell them to consider pursuing activities or interests that they’ve always wanted to do or perhaps restarting hobbies they’d given up.
Widen Your Circle
Perhaps surprisingly, Cigna’s study found that social isolation was most prevalent among younger Americans, ages 18 through 22. That problem hadn’t been lost on Lu Johnson, who in 2014 founded Tallahassee Young Active Professionals, or TYAP, with the goal of meeting new people. Using the online organizing tool Meetup.com to schedule events, she began planning open-invitation Ultimate Frisbee games, restaurant dinners and other activities. “After college it was difficult for me, because a lot of my friends moved out of town,” she said. “I found myself in a routine where I’d wake up, go to work, go to the gym and go home. I was on repeat every day … I knew that I wasn’t the only person experiencing that.” Friends began sharing TYAP events on Facebook, and the group has grown to some 1,400 members. All ages are welcome at TYAP events, Johnson said. “All friendships start out with strangers meeting for the first time,” she said. “Life is more enjoyable when you have good people to spend time with.” Johnson said she has seen formerly shy members gain confidence and relationships form within the group. Dr. Kubiak, of Tallahassee Memorial Behavioral Health Center, provided tips to meeting people. “The first step is recognizing that people are meaningful to you,” he said. “Then, identify what steps that you feel comfortable with taking to meet people.” Maybe that’s asking someone to introduce you to a new friend or meeting others through volunteering or at community events. “You may not meet someone who’s going to be your lifelong friend, but (volunteering) gets you out of yourself and comfortable dealing with other people,” he said. Even a pet can help bring those used to being alone out of their shell, he said. “People can create a lot of strain in our lives,” Kubiak said. “But they can create joy if we give them the opportunity to do that.” TM
→ SHORT VERSION OF THE UCLA LONELINESS SCALE QUESTIONS: Visit psychcentral.com/quizzes/loneliness-quiz
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November–December 2018
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