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The University of Southampton
Student Disability & WellbeingPart of Student Services

Loneliness

Loneliness is a feeling that we will all experience at one point or another, whether you’re new to University or you’re a returning student. Even when you’re surrounded by people, it’s possible to feel lonely. It’s common for university students to feel lonely for a number of reasons:

There are things you can do to try to combat loneliness:

Remember that loneliness is temporary, but it also takes time to build friendships. In the meantime, whilst you can’t simply ‘switch off’ the feelings of loneliness, there are ways to deal with the emotions it brings and boost your wellbeing.

We know that there can be added barriers to trying to solve loneliness, such as social anxiety. We have a self-help guide which goes into detail about ways to overcome social anxiety, or if you’d like some support with this, you can talk to us about how to access counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Student Space - Feeling Lonely

Loneliness appears to be caused by a lack of quality social connections. You can spend a lot of time around other people and still feel lonely. Read more here.

Student Space - social life

The Student Space have articles about friendships and social life including “Building a network during coronavirus” and “Addressing conflict successfully”.

Mind - managing loneliness

Mind have tips on managing loneliness. The page explains loneliness, including the causes of loneliness and how it relates to mental health problems.

Side by Side - an online community

Side by Side is a supportive online community where you can feel at home talking about your mental health and connect with others who understand what you are going through. It's available to everyone 24/7.

Students' Union Societies

Join a Students' Union society to meet likeminded people. With over 300 societies, from faith to political to volunteering to cultural and beyond, they have something for everyone!

The Student Hub

The Student Hub is your first point of contact when it comes to seeking support. 

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