17 November 2014

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Loneliness

Many of the people who pass through my office would readily admit that it’s possible to live in a city which contains 10% of the national population and still feel alone.

Whether it’s making friends or finding a partner, there is no easy fix for most. It’s hard to find like-minded people in-person and simultaneously create an opportunity for communication which feels natural. For those who are experiencing substance abuse issues, it’s doubly hard given the unrealistic emphasis on “meeting people in bars” or “going for drinks”.

If I may make some recommendations:

Sports Okay, this may make some of you cringe with thoughts of high school cliques and hyper-competitiveness, but there are some very positive aspects to recreational sports. Namely, it’s a shared activity which ensures exercise and mutual goals (pardon the pun). Depending upon how competitive you are, it’s usually fun, and it doesn’t involve alcohol.

Tabletop Gaming Over the last few years, the humble board game has become very popular as a way to get out and interact with others. There are several new (and popular) spots in Toronto which stock a wide selection of games (from chess to Settlers of Catan).

Volunteering Perhaps the most old-fashioned of the three, volunteering is a great way to contribute to your community and meet like-minded others. Not only will volunteering provide you with context and perspective (not to mention something which potentially looks good on a résumé), another advantage of volunteering over the other three is that it doesn’t cost anything!