First Psychology blog

It can be very stressful for students moving abroad for university as for many it means leaving their family and friends behind and being confronted with a largely new and unknown setting.  Adjusting to the new environment and potential cultural differences can make it difficult for students to build social networks and, as a result, many international students may experience periods of loneliness during their time overseas. With everything so new, foreign, and sometimes scary, making friends and settling in abroad can be challenging. "International students have several risk factors for loneliness, including being away from loved ones, novelty (finding yourself in a new situation), not having a network in the new place yet, and feeling different (not fitting in) because of not understanding social codes and norms." Luzia Heu, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, who conducts research on loneliness across different cultures.  Ways to combat loneliness Joi...

There’s nothing quite as comforting as having a friend to spend time with, share memories with, and speak to in good times and in bad. Although spending time with friends can be fun, there is much more to friendships than social interaction but why exactly are they so important for your mental health? What is a friend? A friend is someone you want to share good news with, talk to in times of trouble, and confide in with personal aspects of your life. However, while for some people making friends is easy, for others it can be difficult. A lack of friends can lead to feelings of loneliness and self-confidence and over time, it can cause depression. Good friends can help you feel supported and respected and can also prevent loneliness. Why can it be difficult to find friends? You may have had close friends and drifted apart because life took you in different directions. Life changes such as marriage, children or career can put a strain on friendships especially if your friend feels they d...

This year has been a rollercoaster of changing rules and regulations thanks to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. Unsurprisingly, many people in the UK have been affected by these new rules and regulations. Some of these new rules have resulted in much of the population having to spend long periods in their homes, some not being able to mix with other households, and millions of children being off school for long periods of time. Studies by The Office of National Statistics have shown that the pandemic has had a huge impact on people’s wellbeing, with more than 69% of UK adults being affected. With the festive season approaching, many of you may be worried about how you will cope with the newly announced plans for the festive period. We have some tips to tackle loneliness, especially if you’re unable to spend time with loved ones at this time of year. Christmas with covid Current rules state that if you have covid or covid symptoms, or if you have been in direct contact with somebody w...

Losing a close family member or friend can be extremely upsetting and can stir a wealth of emotions that you may find difficult to deal with. There are, however, many strategies and supports available for coping with grief and loss that can help you to understand your emotions and make sense of your feelings. Understanding your emotions Although every one of us is different and we may deal with loss in different ways, there are lots of common signs and various stages of grief that most of us will experience. One of the first emotions we might experience when we lose someone close to us is shock, even if we were expecting the inevitable. Other emotions such as feeling overwhelmed, anger, confusion, loneliness, sadness, relief and guilt can all play a significant part in the grieving process. You might also feel fearful of the future, afraid of how you will cope without your loved one. Remember that these kinds of feelings are normal and will diminish with time, and it’s okay to ...

For many years, scientists have been researching the effects of owning a pet and how it can impact on mental health. It has been well documented that pets can help with depression, bi-polar disorder, post-traumatic stress and schizophrenia. But even without the countless studies that have been undertaken, most pet owners would agree that caring for an animal has lots of obvious benefits. This month is National Pet Month, so we decided to take a look at the ways pets can improve our mental health. Pets and depression Owning a pet is one of the greatest distractions from our everyday problems. Depression can lead to lethargy, low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness – all of which owning a pet can help to alleviate. All pets offer a non-judgemental ear and some animals are extremely sensitive to our moods. Just by our tone of voice or body language, they can understand when to give us attention or when to leave us alone. Having a pet allows us the opportunity to open up, knowing ...

There’s a big difference between being alone and being lonely. In today’s digital world, it’s easy for people to feel alone – with friends and acquaintances constantly posting updates of their full social lives and all the fun they’re having. It’s important for us to get used to being alone from time to time for our own personal growth, as this Psychology Today article outlines - however being alone too often, especially when it’s not done out of choice, can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness Loneliness is the feeling of sadness that arises when we feel we have no friends or company to interact with. It’s not just about being alone either. It is possible to feel lonely in a room full of people, if we feel that the people we’re with do not care about us, value our input or understand how we’re feeling. It’s natural to feel lonely from time to time. This is absolutely normal. It can happen when we move house, change jobs or schools, or have to attend events or f...

A recent study found that young people (age 16-24) feel loneliness more intensely and more often than any other age group. This might be surprising to many, as we often think of loneliness happening to us in old age. However, it has been suggested that the reason why this age group feels loneliness so intensely is because they are still finding out who they are. More generally loneliness can come about for a number of reasons – the death of somebody significant; moving to a new location and being separated from friends and family; divorce; or it can be a symptom of an underlying issue such as depression or low self-esteem.  Loneliness is a feeling of being alone in the world, irrespective of who’s around you. You may feel sad, misunderstood, out of the loop, and disconnected from the world. It is a state of mind which often leads people to crave company. The problem is that the mindset of loneliness often makes it harder to engage with others. Loneliness has been linked to a nu...