Do you sometimes look at people you supposedly know well and have the disconcerting impression that you don't know them at all, that they are strangers? Do you from time to time feel apart from others?
If so, you are experiencing some degree of alienation. It is distressing to be alienated. And alienation is an important factor in loneliness. It is next to impossible to be alienated and simultaneously free from the burden of loneliness. Alienation and loneliness go together like two sides of the same coin.
But you don't have to be a ship without a sail. With the 5 strategies presented below, you can take a stand against the destructive waves of alienation and loneliness.
1) Reject the Idea That You Are Powerless and Helpless
If you approach alienation from a "poor me" attitude, you can't overcome it. Self-pity will only make the problem worse. It is important to realize that, from the psychological point of view, you are never completely powerless. And you are never completely helpless. You need to assert that you have a free will, that you are an autonomous human being capable of making real choices. You need to believe that you have the ability to neutralize those emotional factors that contribute to alienation. This is a very important first step.
2) Looking for the Best in Other Members of a Group
We are social creatures. We have a deep need to make contact at both a cognitive and an emotional level with others. This need tends to be satisfied by group identification. We see ourselves as belonging to a family, a club, an organization, and so forth. This sense of belonging is undermined when we become critical of certain features of the group.
We tend to magnify faults and minimize good points. Make an effort to reverse this process. Look for the best features in members of a group and it will undercut the process leading toward alienation.
3) Seek to Identify with Social Groups That Reflect the Values of the Larger Culture
A social group, for example: a club, an organization, or a church congregation - functions much like a family. If you identify with the group, its interests and its values become your own. If you identify with a group that is traditional, you will have no problems. Not only will you acquire the sense of belongingness that is antagonistic to alienation, you will also be at peace with the general society.
But what if you identify with a gang, a cult or a secret society that is at odds with the larger culture? You will overcome alienation to some extent, but when the deviant group runs into a harsh clash with the larger culture, as it often does, your fortunes will be tied to it. If your only lifeboat is sinking, you will go down with it.
So pick a group carefully. For your own protection, make sure that it fits into the general society in some meaningful way.
4) If You Have Fallen Away From Traditional Values, Reconsider Them
One of the ways in which we overcome alienation is by heart-felt acceptance of traditional values.
What are traditional values? In an individual case, a person doesn't have to search very far. You were probably taught a set of values by your family. And most families reflect the principal values of the larger culture. In the main, these are obvious: Be a responsible adult, accept the teachings of your religion, have respect for your partner, and so forth. Traditional values are so obvious that they are almost invisible, and, as a consequence, it is easy to lose sight of them.
5) If You Are Having a Conflict With Someone You Once Loved, Take Steps to Effect a Reconciliation
Perhaps you are on the outs with a person or persons you once loved or cared about. You may have a parent, a brother, a sister, an old friend, or someone else that you haven't talked to in months or years. Maybe an old grudge has been keeping you apart. If the rip in the fabric of your relationship is experienced as a kind of nagging unpleasantness in your existence, it may be time to work on patching things up. Even if you have been alienated for quite a while, it is quite possible that it's not too late to reconnect.
Alienation doesn't have to be endured. You can overcome alienation by using the self-directed strategies presented above. They are practical, and they will be effective.
No one is exempt from loneliness; not even the busiest, well-rounded people amongst us. Many females around the globe are finding work and family is taking up more and more of their time. These hectic schedules leave many women with no time for themselves, which can lead to a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. How is a female going to find a companion or partner when she does not even have time to leave home? This is where the Internet can come to the rescue!
When began popping up, several decades ago, many people were skeptical about meeting someone via the Internet. There was a bit of a stigma attached to the practice, in fact. Attractive females and males may have felt �Why do I have to resort to this to find a date?� That stigma has long since fallen away as millions of people every day sign on to dating sites to find friendship, companionship or love. The overwhelming success of these sites is impossible to dispute. Online dating sites like Match.Com, Matchmaker and EHarmony have helped many people to find their ideal mate.
can be an empowering experience for many females. No longer are they content to sit by the phone and wait for someone to call and ask them out, they are now taking control of their own dating and relationships. Online dating gives the men and women who participate the power to choose whom they want to meet. If someone approaches you online that is not of interest to you, you can simply reply with a �no thank you� and feelings won�t be hurt. There are so many people, of so many different backgrounds, from around the world; the odds are definitely in the favor of online daters.
Among the questions you will be asked are: whether you are single, separated or divorced; if you have children living with you; if you smoke or drink alcohol; what you like to do on a date, etc. You will also be asked to submit a current (emphasis on �current�) photo of yourself. Then, males and females alike can search through the pictures and profiles to see if anyone catches their interest. The next step is usually online chatting to see if you do, indeed, have things in common. After that, most people talk on the phone before arranging to meet personally.
Online dating for females is, generally, a safe practice. There are some things everyone should keep in mind when embarking on this type of dating adventure: 1. People can say whatever they want in their profiles; most people will be honest, but you need to take the information with a �grain of salt� until you get to know them better. 2. Do not be in a rush to release your personal information to anyone. Keep you personal email address, home address and phone contacts to yourself until you know you can trust the other person.
As in all first-date situations, women should exercise some caution by meeting in a public place and not going to a secluded location until they know the person better. There is no longer any reason to spend another lonely Friday or Saturday night � females can participate in online dating to �shake off the blues�.
Both Rick Cowles & Isaiah Henry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Rick Cowles has sinced written about articles on various topics from Social Issues, Modelling and Social Issues. Get your free report revealing "" plus many more tips on how to overcome loneliness by visiting. Rick Cowles's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Isaiah Henry has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Movie Reviews and Site Promotion. Isaiah Henry is a reviewer for CupidsOnlineDating.com, which gives singles free tips, comparisons and reviews on dating services, such as. Isaiah Henry's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.