>>MELANIE LAWSON: WELL, AS WE KNOW, VALENTINE’S DAY IS A DAY TO CELEBRATE AND EXPRESS YOUR
LOVE FOR A SIGNIFICANT OTHER.
BUT FOR SOME, THE HOLIDAY
EVOKES A SENSE OF EXTREME
LONELINESS AND SADNESS,
ACCORDING TO ONE HARVARD
STUDY, MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF
AMERICANS, INCLUDING 61% YOUNG
ADULTS, OFTEN EXPERIENCE
SERIOUS. LONELINESS EXPERTS
RECOMMEND THAT CERTAIN
ACTIVITIES COULD HELP TO
DISTRACT YOURSELF IF YOU FEEL
ISOLATED OR LONELY DURING THE
TIME SURROUNDING THIS
PARTICULAR DAYS. SO DOCTOR
CHRISTINE CAULFIELD IS A
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND CEO
OF LSF HEALTH SYSTEMS. SHE IS
HERE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HOW
TO UNDERSTAND YOUR FEELINGS ON
VALENTINE’S DAY AND HOW YOU
CAN COMBAT THOSE NEGATIVE
COMMENTS OR FEELINGS RATHER
AROUND PARTICULAR DAY. DOCTOR,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. MY
PLEASURE AS ALWAYS.
ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ALL KNOW
THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD
REALLY A LINGERING EFFECT ON
US. YOU KNOW THAT THANKSGIVING
AND CHRISTMAS CAN REALLY BE
TRIGGERS FOR PEOPLE. MAY HAVE
LOST SOMEONE OR THEY FEEL
LONELY. BUT TALK TO US ABOUT
VALENTINE’S DAY. THIS CAN BE
UPSETTING FOR PEOPLE TO MOST
DEFINITELY. AS THE HARVARD
STUDY ILLUSTRATES, THERE’S A
LOT OF LONELINESS IN THIS
WORLD. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
THAT.
>> FEELING THAT IF THEY DON’T
HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OTHER,
SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH THEM.
THEY FEEL VERY DISCONNECTED
FROM THEIR FRIENDS. IT MIGHT
BE MARRIED OR IN A
RELATIONSHIP. AND SO THIS IS A
TRIGGER REAL TRIGGER
VALENTINE’S DAY. AND THERE ARE
WAYS TO COPE, THOUGH, TO MOVE
THROUGH THIS.
>> ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF LONELINESS? IS THAT A
FACTOR? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
>> THERE’S EMOTIONAL
LONELINESS AGAIN, I’M FEELING
VERY DISCONNECTED BECAUSE YOU
DON’T HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OTHER
OR PARTNER IN YOUR LIFE.
THERE’S ALSO LONELINESS,
SOCIAL LONELINESS. MAYBE YOU
DON’T HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS, A
SOCIAL NETWORK THAT SUPPORTS
YOU AND YOU FEEL VERY
DISCONNECTED AS OTHERS ARE
TALKING ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR
VALENTINE’S DAY AND THE 3RD
TYPE OF LONELINESS IS CALLED
TEXAS 10 TRULL LOVELINESS. AND
THAT’S TYPE OF LONELINESS
WHERE YOU JUST FEELSO
DISCONNECTED FROM THE WORLD IN
GENERAL. SOMETIMES THESE
PEOPLE ISOLATE, THEY NEVER
LEAVE THEIR HOMES. THEY JUST
FEEL THERE’S NO HOPE THEY’RE
NEVER GOING TO HAVE A
CONNECTION.
>> JUST SO HEARTBREAKING TO
THINK ABOUT REALLY SO WHAT DO
YOU RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE DO
ON VALENTINE’S DAY IF THEY’RE
EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF
LONELINESS OR IF THEY’VE GONE
THROUGH THIS TYPE OF TRAUMA,
LEAVE THEM FEELING REALLY PUT
RECOMMEND THEY DO TO GET YOU
KNOW, I REALLY FEEL LIKE ONE
IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO DO
SOMETHING THAT YOU LOVE TO DO
THAT DAY.
>> PERHAPS YOU LOVE TO WALK
THE BEACH OR YOU WANT TO SEE A
PARTICULAR MOVIE THAT’S OUT.
LOVED TO YOURSELF DO SOMETHING
SPECIAL FOR YOU. ANOTHER THING
YOU CAN DO IS REACH OUT TO
OTHERS. YOU KNOW, GALLON TIMES
DAY FOR EXAMPLES OF POPULAR
PHRASE. NOW IN A POPULAR
EVENT. SO FEMALES GET TOGETHER
WITH YOUR GIRLFRIENDS AND GO
HAVE A SPECIAL DINNER OR A
SPECIAL EVENING OF PAINTING
WITH A TWIST, FOR EXAMPLE,
DICE TO PLAN A BARBECUE PLAN.
A CASINO NIGHT GET TOGETHER
AND JUST MAKE IT SPECIAL FOR
YOU. ANOTHER THING THAT WE
FIND VERY HELPFUL IS TO GIVE
TO OTHERS VOLUNTEER, GO TO AN
ANIMAL SHELTER. HOW ABOUT A
NURSING HOME? WE HAVE SO MANY
ISOLATED SENIORS IN THESE
FACILITIES THAT WOULD LOVE FOR
YOU TO CALM AND HAVE A VISIT.
SO THERE’S THINGS THAT CAN
REALLY LIFT YOURSELF UP. AND I
WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND TURN OFF
THAT SOCIAL MEDIA FOR AT LEAST
48 HOURS BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING
TO SEE IMAGES OF PEOPLE ON
DATES. SPECIAL DINNERS.
ROMANTIC GETAWAYS THAT WILL BE
TRIGGERS FOR YOU IF YOUR
EXPERIENCING LONELINESS. SO
TURN OFF THAT SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT’S REALLY AMAZING HOW
FREEING AND LIBERATING
UNPLUGGING FOR JUST A SHORT
WHILE CAN BE YES, SOCCER
COUGH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME