Are you distraught at the prospect of living alone, even if the house is one you feel comfortable in? Many people hate being alone, even for short periods of time, because they feel anxious without the company of the people they are used to. This can shorten your life terribly and can also make it very difficult to be around, as the people you want to be around may feel unfairly restricted.

There are some things you could do to reduce your anxiety about living alone and they are:

Pick a hobby: You’ll have very little time to feel depressed or anxious if you have a woodworking or sewing project to complete or even a book to read. Your brain will thus be kept busy, leaving it very little time to contemplate your loneliness. Make sure you choose a hobby that suits your temperament and abilities so you can stick with it for a long time.

Get a pet: A pet can serve as a great substitute for a human being who has left your life temporarily or forever. You can choose a high-maintenance one, like a dog, or a low-maintenance one, like a fish or gerbil. In fact, the mere presence of a fish tank in your home will help you relax a lot.

Stay in touch with lots of people: You can use technology to stay in touch with people without leaving your home. If your friends and family are scattered across the country or even the world, you can use the Internet to keep in touch with them without spending too much money. Keep your interactions short and sweet so they don’t consider your calls and messages a burden.

Be helpful to others: You will forget about your problems if you focus on other people’s problems. Find out if you can help a charity with work that can be done from home, such as administrative tasks.

You’ll be able to handle being alone if you can keep busy by following these tips. In fact, you’ll find that it’s quite possible to be reasonably happy living alone, as long as you know how to help yourself. This will also gradually reduce your dependence on others.