You are not alone, help is at hand

Photo: dpa

LONELINESS, according to medical books, is a state of the mind and a feeling of being alone or in a state of solitude. People who are alone feel empty, left behind, unwanted, and often crave human contact. However, their state of mind makes it very difficult for them to form relationships with other people.

Studies show that loneliness can contribute to a disruption in mental health which leads to numerous social problems such as suicide, depression and drug abuse. Accor-ding to Dr Tam Cai Lian, senior lecturer in Counselling Psychology at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, peer influence and curiosity are the top contributory factors to drug abuse in Malaysia.