Loneliness

What is loneliness? 

There are two types of loneliness: emotional and physical loneliness (social isolation).

Emotional loneliness means you can't connect with others on an emotional level. Sometimes you feel that others don't understand you.

Physical loneliness or social isolation means that someone has few or no social contacts, for example, due to moving to a new place. Both types can also occur together.

What can you do? 

If you feel lonely, ask yourself: do I have too few people around me, or do I find it difficult to make real contact? Or maybe both?

If you have too few people around you, try to actively seek out others. A shared interest can help, such as a sports club, study group, or course. Fontys also has initiatives to help students connect with others.

If you find it hard to make real contact, ask yourself why this is difficult. Maybe it's due to past events or because you are naturally shy. Various factors can play a role, such as cultural differences. The Dutch are known for their straightforwardness, which may lead students from different social structures to be unclear about how to respond. Understanding and adapting to these cultural differences can help in making real connections. Practice making contact by, for example, sharing a bit more about yourself with someone you feel safe and comfortable with. Opening up is a good way to connect with others.

Self-learning module

With your Fontys account, you can make free use of online self-help modules (e-health).

Loneliness

Do you sometimes feel alone? You’re not the only one—many people feel this way. It’s important to take action. This module helps you understand and reduce these feelings. Step by step, you work on topics about loneliness and start breaking the cycle.

Go to the Loneliness module

Contact team Student Guidance