It can be difficult for guys to open up about their feelings.
This is because often men arenât used to having open conversations about how they feel.
They donât always have the emotional support network around them, like women do, of friends who will ask how they are doing and are willing to listen and have deep conversations about serious topics.
Because of this, even if youâre extremely close to your boyfriend it might be difficult for him to let you know how heâs feeling.
So if you suspect that youâre boyfriend is lonely or if he opens up to you about the fact that he is feeling lonely you should take it seriously.
Here are 5 things to do if your boyfriend is lonely.
But first
How to tell if your boyfriend is lonely
He spends a lot of time alone
If your boyfriend is extremely introverted he may be happy to spend a lot of time alone. However, in most cases even shy people like to spend some time with close friends and family.
If your boyfriend is on his own a lot he might be lonely and its worth asking him about it and trying to get him to open up to you.
He seems down
If your boyfriend seems down and sad for no apparent reason it could be a sign that heâs lonely.
Be on the lookout for things like; him never seeming to have anything to look forward to, not being excited about the weekend and him generally having a pessimistic outlook on life.
He wants to hang out all the time
Wanting to hang out with you often is obviously a good thing and means that your boyfriend enjoys your company and gets a lot out of your relationship.
But if your boyfriend wants to spend all day with you every day it could be a sign that he just doesnât want to be by himself because he would get lonely.
He rarely seems to have any plans
A clear sign that your boyfriend is lonely is if he never has any plans. This doesnât just include social plans, as some people prefer spending more time alone, but any plans for his day.
If he doesnât do anything in his free time like workout, pursue his interests, work on a side hustle or do any hobbies then most likely he doesnât want to do things alone but he feels like has no one he can do things with.
What to do if your boyfriend is lonely
1. Invite him to do things with your friends and family
If your boyfriend says heâs lonely or if he is showing signs of being lonely you should get him to come along with you when you are meeting up with friends and family.
This will help him to get out of the rut of feeling lonely and get him interacting with people other than you to build his confidence and make him feel less alone.
He might find he has a lot in common with someone from your group of friends that could introduce him to a new social circle or it might give him the push to reach out and connect with old friends again.
2. Show empathy and listen
One of the best things you can do if your boyfriend is feeling lonely is to just listen to him and be there for him emotionally.
Telling someone youâre lonely can be scary, embarrassing and even self-defeating but expressing a feeling is usually the beginning of releasing it. Keeping feelings bottled up will make your boyfriend feel even more alone so try to gently encourage him to talk about it.
You may not be able to solve his problems but showing that you care about how he is feeling will help him a lot.
It might also be useful to tell him about a time when youâve felt lonely to remind him that this a normal thing to go through but that it doesnât last forever.
3. Encourage him to pursue an interest
Starting a new hobby or pursuing an interest is a great way to get over loneliness.
Encourage your boyfriend to direct his energy to something he is interested in or passionate about.
This could mean joining a club for a sport he used to play when he was a child, taking a course, learning a new skill, setting up a business or volunteering in the local community.
Not only will pursuing an interest take his mind off feeling lonely its also the perfect way to meet and spend time with liked minded people and a great opportunity to make new friends.
4. Ask him if he would consider getting a pet
If your boyfriend is feeling lonely and likes animals you could suggest he adopts a pet.
Research suggests that having a pet helps people find more satisfaction in their day to day lives and can make them feel more fulfilled. This is especially the case when they adopt an animal giving it a better life than it would have had otherwise.
A pet like a dog, which is very loyal and needs a lot of attention, will keep your boyfriend company and take his mind off his loneliness.
Having a dog will also force him to get out of the house for some exercise which will improve his mood and outlook on life.
5. Get him to look for professional help
If nothing else works and your boyfriend still feels lonely definitely encourage him to speak to a mental health professional.
Sometimes external factors wonât be able to change how someone is feeling.
A therapist will be able to help your boyfriend work through his emotions and the thoughts that are making him feel isolated and lonely.
The sooner he gets help the sooner he will be back to himself and feeling better.
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