Being Alone

Here are some ideas on how to deal with being alone….

Survey results

We did a survey with you on the topic of “being alone”. It turned out that many of you find “being alone” rather stressful and don’t like being alone. However, there are also some users who like to be alone and use the time to do something for themselves. We will present some of our users’ suggestions later.

Fear of being alone

Parents are not at home, siblings are away and no one from your circle of friends has time to visit. You are alone. It is not unusual that the idea of being alone in a flat scares many people. Especially children and young people who are not used to being alone are often frightened by such a situation.

The fears sometimes relate to something concrete, e.g. the fear that a burglar might come. Sometimes, however, it is simply a queasy feeling that arises without you being able to say what you are actually afraid of.

Tips against fear

Distraction! Distracting yourself is good. Because if you just sit there quietly and concentrate on your fear, it usually gets worse. When we are afraid, our senses are heightened, which means that we are, for example, much more “clairaudient” than usual and the slightest creak of the wooden floor can send us into a panic.

TIP

• Make sure you have background noise. You can turn up the TV or radio, or listen to your favorite music.
• If you are afraid that a burglar might come into your home, make sure that all doors and windows are locked. Then you know that no one can get in.
• It may help to turn on the light in another room if it is already dark.
• Try to calm yourself consciously. Tell yourself that you don’t have to be afraid and that nothing can happen to you.

Use the time to be alone

Being alone and all to yourself can also be very beneficial. You come to peace and can simply behave as you want without having to worry about what others think and without having to be considerate of others.

TIP:

• Use the time to do something for yourself.
• Write a diary or letters.
• Organize your thoughts, relax and do something good for yourself.
• You can use the time for extensive personal hygiene, for example, without stressing that another family member might have to go to the bathroom right now.

What to do against boredom?

• Do things that you usually put off. (Tidy up your room, put your school things in order, etc.).
• Be creative! When was the last time you painted, drew or made something?
• Read a book or an interesting article from a magazine!
• Get moving! Jump, dance, do push-ups – all without anyone disturbing you!
• Do you play an instrument? You could rehearse a new song!
• Get in touch. Write a letter or email to your friends or acquaintances. Or call that former classmate you’ve been meaning to get in touch with for so long!
• Volunteer!

TIP — More tips from our users

Sing, watch series, watch Netflix, play computer games, chat, and text, surf the internet, look out of the window, meet friends, take a full bath, cook, think, cut your fingernails and just enjoy not being bothered by anyone!

For further help and support  — Speak with a licensed therapist today.