I’m proof you can beat loneliness
A NEW report says loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking or obesity and there are calls for the appointment of a government minister to deal with this issue (Mail). Our society is increasingly self-reliant and social media can add to feelings of loneliness. No one likes to say they are lonely: you can experience this if you are alone or when you are with hundreds of people. It is a crippling sense of isolation that makes you feel there is no one else around but you. I took an art therapy course to deal with my feelings of isolation and to feel positive, and I do volunteering work to make sure that every day I see someone and say hello. My life changed when I became a London 2012 volunteer at the Olympics. I joined the Games Maker choir, which makes me feel part of a community. Singing is a great way to feel better about yourself. Yes, there are still moments when I can slip into my old negative feelings, but I now know how to pick myself up and Enjoying single life to the full: Babs Lee charity single, so this has been a wonderful year. Christmas is a powerful time and you can feel happy and lonely at the same time. So, why not take a step back from the festivities and think of those who are lonely?
BABS LEE, Twickenham, Middlesex. CALLS for a minister for loneliness perpetuates the myth that single people are longing for other people’s company. It is patronising to think that anyone on their own needs the company of a bearded hippie or a council or government busybody trying to organise their lives. Some people choose to be on their own because they are fed up with politicians and self-obsessed young people. We do not need another overpaid ministerial post. Being alone is bliss! PAUL CHARLES COOK,
Huddersfield, W. Yorks.