Samaritans highlight loneliness during 2024 awareness day

“You don’t have to be alone to feel lonely.”

That is one of the core messages behind this year’s annual 24/7 campaign by Cork Samaritans.

Launched on Wednesday in Kent Station in Cork city, the campaign highlights the importance of reaching out in times of loneliness and to encourage people to make use of services available.

The charity reminds those in need of someone to speak to that it’s volunteers are available 24/7, 365 days a year, and are all trained to help people if they are experiencing loneliness, mental distress, depression, or having suicidal thoughts.

Cork Samaritans volunteer Melissa rejoined the charity seven years ago and said she feels a “huge change in the cause”, especially since the pandemic.

She said the role Covid played is very subtle and is something we are yet to get to the bottom of in terms of its impact on people.

“Covid brought so much fear to people,” Melissa told the Cork Independent.

“So many layers of life were affected.

“And also, we're using machines much more, social media, we're also using Zoom, we're not having that face-to-face contact, which we are trying to get back now in the Samaritans,” she added.

As part of this year’s campaign, Cork Samaritans have put together the following list of actions a person can take if they are feeling lonely:

Try sharing how you feel with someone you trust. It could be a friend, a family member, a colleague, or your GP.

Be kind to yourself. It can be daunting opening up sometimes, and it’s OK to take it at your own pace. Take care of yourself and spend time doing things that you love.

Find out what's happening in your local area. There may be a park run or walk, clubs, classes to join or a local organisation you can volunteer with.

Connect online. There are lots of ways we can still feel connected with others, even if we can’t see them such as online meetups or classes, or just a simple phone call.

Connect with nature. From visiting our local parks to tending to plants indoors, spending quality time with nature has been proven to have a positive effect on our mood.

Try not to compare yourself to others. Remember, most people are only sharing and posting their best bits. It could heighten feelings of loneliness if you’re comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel.

Melissa continued: “There's so much judgement in the world and this is a place when you can have a listening ear and be accepted exactly where you are and who you are.

“When you have that empathy, love, and understanding, and no judgement, it just lifts your energy, and it gets you out of that cycle. That's the power of deep listening,” she added.

To contact Cork Samaritans, free call 116 123 at any time of the day or night to speak to someone.