Loneliness

You don't need to be a music anorak to be able to think of songs that talk about loneliness – Only The Lonely, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, So Alone… A quick search through Amazon and you'll find plenty of hits (and misses) inspired by songwriters talking about their experiences.

You are more likely to suffer from loneliness at certain times of the day, at certain times of year and at particular stages in your life. The surroundings you live in and your sense of community can also contribute.

We all feel lonely at times but for some people it affects every aspect of their lives. Research in 2010 showed that loneliness increases the risk of mortality by 50 per cent, compared with people who have strong social relationships.

Have you ever felt lonely on a Saturday evening or Bank Holiday weekend and thought the whole world was having a good time except you? Have you ever felt that the people around just don’t get you and that you can't connect? We all feel like this at times and often it’s fleeting; it passes and we accept it as part of life.

What if that feeling never went away?