You might assume that being married means you never feel lonely. But it’s possible to be in a committed relationship and still feel isolated in the relationship.
Perhaps you and husband have settled into a routine that subconsciously creates distance between you. He may like to wind down from the day by scrolling through his social media feed, while you may like to do yoga before falling asleep.
If you have kids, you may each have “carved out” your own areas of specialisation or responsibility. For example, you may take care coaching the kids with their schoolwork while he takes care of putting the kids to bed.
In these scenarios, there’s little need to communicate with each other. The family’s needs too, can leave you both exhausted.
Over time, and with added factors such as busy schedules and pressure from work, a woman’s feelings of isolation can grow.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ALONE TO FEEL LONELY
Theresa Pong, founder and counselling director of The Relationship Room, said that feeling lonely is “an emotional state filled with a strong sense of isolation or disconnection from others, even when physically surrounded by people”.
It is often accompanied by feelings of emptiness and a yearning for meaningful connections with others. “Feeling lonely speaks to a deeper emotional isolation, where one may be physically present with their spouse, but feels a disconnection,” she added.
