It is easy to talk to people these days, from WhatsApp messages to video calls to comments on social media; the world has become a global village. But deep down, many people still find it hard to truly connect. They feel unseen and alone.
Being a community, either through school, religious gatherings, family, or work, meant checking on each other, spending quality time together, and helping out when one was in need. Now, people are mostly glued to their phones, scrolling through social media, checking out the life updates of people they were once close with, checking who got married, who traveled, and who bought a new car, who graduated, who had a baby, but never really talking.
Even in families, we’re seeing it. Parents spend hours on their phones, children are lost in screens, and siblings talk more in group chats than in real life. Everyone is “around,” but no one is really there.
From heart-to-heart conversations to mere check-ins through a middleman, social media. Social media has made it look like we’re all connected, but what we often have are highlights, not heart-to-hearts. We see people smiling, dancing, or traveling, and we feel we’re part of their world. But once the phone goes dark, the silence creeps in.
This type of loneliness isn’t the one that happens in isolation. It is the ache you feel when you have people around you, but you are still unseen; you feel disconnected in some way. You realize that the likes you get on social media don’t replace love, and the comments don’t replace conversation, and followers don’t mean friends.
Studies have shown that loneliness affects not just your emotions but your body, too. It can raise your stress levels, disrupt your sleep, affect your mental health, weaken your immune system, and even shorten your lifespan. That’s why you need to start taking connection seriously, just like we do food, work, and money.
Therapy is one of the most powerful ways to feel reconnected, not just with others, but with yourself. It’s not a “white people thing” or a sign of weakness. It’s a space to talk, breathe, and understand your emotions without fear of judgment.
When you talk to a therapist, you get to unpack feelings you’ve ignored for years, the loneliness, the anxiety, the feeling that no one gets you. And as you begin to understand yourself, it becomes easier to understand others.
Therapy is not about “fixing” you, it’s about helping you feel seen. It teaches you to communicate better, set healthy boundaries, and rebuild relationships that truly matter.
Real connection doesn’t come from connecting to the internet; it comes from being present. Start small. Drop your phone when you’re around loved ones. Ask questions that go beyond “How far?” and actually listen.
Connect with your parents. Plan an activity with them. Cook with your siblings. Sit outside and talk with your neighbors again. It may feel old-fashioned, but those moments are where real warmth lives.
The more you practice showing up, the more connected you’ll feel.
The loneliness you might be feeling right now is not permanent; it is a sign that your heart is craving something real again. So, take a break from scrolling. Call that friend you’ve been thinking about. Spend time with people who make you feel safe and seen. And if you feel like no one understands, talk to a therapist. Sometimes, all it takes is one honest conversation to remind you that you’re not alone, and you never were.
Start small, but start today. Because life is better when we live it together.
