November 8, 2023 – Loneliness is a natural feeling that should not be considered shameful, and there are some relatively simple ways to reduce it, according to Jeremy Nobel.
Nobel is founder of the nonprofit Foundation for Art & Healing and Project Unlonely, author of the book “Project UnLonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection,” and a lecturer at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In an October 17 article in Next Avenue, he said that while people may blame themselves for feeling lonely, the issue can be reframed more positively.
“Just like thirst is a signal that we need hydration, feeling lonely is a signal that we need human connection,” he said. Connection can come in many different forms, from talking to a fellow shopper in the checkout line to creating art, he explained.
“If you’re feeling lonely, get curious about those feelings. Make connections, talk to others, develop new habits,” he added. “That’s a prescription that has no copay, it’s accessible to everyone, and it can be filled anywhere.”
Read the Next Avenue article: We Don’t Need to Cure Loneliness
Learn more
How to get unlonely (Harvard Public Health magazine)
Connecting through color (Harvard Chan School news)