Depression
To battle loneliness and depression, experts suggest finding a hobby outside of work, joining Meetup groups, or seek medical help.
Will Wright, who founded digital-health-coaching company Pack Health, believes some online interactions, especially with real friends, can help people feel less alone. He tells the story of a particularly tough time for himself. When he’d be travelling and away from home and friends for weeks. A friend texted during one of these times and Wright surprised himself by texting back an honest answer: I’m lonely.
The friend said he’d been where Wright was right then. “Why don’t you go for a run?” the friend asked, offering a concrete way for Wright to help himself by exercising and getting out of his hotel surroundings.
“All this happened through texts,” Wright said.
Engineers can take time out of their days to email, text, and phone friends and family members to feel more connected.
The answer is a bit different for Dolva of No Isolation.
“Loneliness can be tackled by opening up the conversation,” Dolva said.
She doesn’t mean speaking about your depression and loneliness to your co-workers, but rather to talk about it with friends and family—even via technology like Skype or Facetime. You can certainly tell them your job is isolating and leads to depression.
“I didn’t understand how lonely I really was,” Dolva said, speaking about her time in UX design and informatics. “With loneliness, you don’t want to let anyone in. And I’m so far from being the only one who feels like this. We’re built to be part of a group, to depend on others and have them depend on us.
“Call the friend and just be bored together. Let people in. When you lean on others you’re helping yourself, but you’re also helping them,” Dolva added.
Most people, after all, want to be of use. They feel good when they’re helping others. And sharing real feelings encourages friends to open up as well.
“There’s nothing cool or brave about going through life alone, ” Dolva said.
Jean Thilmany is a freelance writer in St. Paul who frequently writes on engineering topics.
Comments
Post a Comment