Feeling lonely
If you're feeling lonely, remember you're not alone. Feeling lonely doesn’t necessarily mean you have no one nearby....
If you’ve not been feeling yourself lately, there’s support available that could help. Talking is often the best way to start feeling better. It’s never too late to begin.
Your mental health is very important – particularly because how you’re feeling mentally can have a big impact on how you feel physically. If you’re finding things tough and it’s affecting your mood and how you feel, then speaking to your GP is a good place to start.
Talking about your mental health can be daunting, but your GP will be used to having these conversations and won't judge you. They're there to help and will know what to do.
There’s something called 'talking therapies', which can start to help people who are feeling low, anxious or out of sorts. They involve talking to someone who's specially trained to help you manage your thoughts and feelings and the effect they have on our behaviour and mood.
You can usually refer yourself to a local service to see if you could benefit from treatment, or your doctor or nurse can do it for you if you'd prefer.
There are different kinds of NHS Talking Therapies and there are types that can be delivered online, over the phone or in person. Once you've been referred, a healthcare professional will assess which therapy will be best for you. The most common are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and counselling – but there are some others too.
Talking is often the best way to start feeling better. It's not always easy to open up about our feelings, but there's a lot of truth in the saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved.'
Talking therapies are proven to work – and they can work particularly well for older people. Even if you've tried them before and weren't sure, you can give talking therapies another go.
You don't need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies. If you're experiencing any of the following, then talking therapies could be for you:
Talking therapies are free for anyone who needs them through the NHS. You can ask your GP about talking therapies or you may be able to refer yourself. You can also find local talking therapy services near you.
Find your local NHS Talking Therapies service near you on the NHS website
The process is not the same in every area, though it might be something like this:
Going through this process won't always result in a course of talking therapies. There may also be gaps of days or weeks between these stages. However, the service should be focused on providing the support that's right for you and will make sure that you have somewhere to turn if your needs become more urgent.
A trained practitioner can teach you muscle relaxation techniques to help you cope in situations where you feel anxious. This usually consists of 12-15 weekly one-hour sessions.
Your GP may prescribe medications to help treat the symptoms of depression. These are called antidepressants and there's a range of different types available. Antidepressants can be combined with talking therapies – your GP should explain which is best for you. It can take up to two weeks for medications to start having an effect. You may need to continue taking antidepressants for several months to ensure a long-term recovery.
Self-help groups can be a way to get support, share ideas on what helps, boost your mood and gain self-confidence. Meeting other people who understand what you’re going through can be helpful, especially if you’re feeling isolated or lonely.
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
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