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CSUSB professor discusses dealing with loneliness on Valentine’s Day during the pandemic
USA Today
Feb. 12, 2021

In a typical year, Valentine's Day can serve as a not-so-friendly reminder to people without romantic partners of just how single they are. But amid a pandemic, the pang of loneliness afflicts more than just those without a significant other. Less social contact and less social engagement can also contribute.

Anthony Silard, an associate professor at California State University, San Bernardino, is part of a family of four, but he can relate. 

"I'm married with two children, and so I'm not living alone, but I also feel lonely – often," says Silard, president of the Center for Social Leadership. "Loneliness is not just about 'Have I found the right intimate partner to spend my life with?' That's certainly a huge part of it, but it's also about distinct relationships we have." 

Silard says people need to feel like they belong to a social group whose values align with their own and to form emotional connections. He suggests really analyzing your relationships.  

"If you feel like your friendships are not as meaningful and robust as you'd like them to be, if you feel like your relationship with your parents or one of your parents, or a sibling, or family member is not as you'd like it to be, all of those can cause loneliness," he says.  

Silard recommends making note of your loving relationships, even if they are not romantic.

"I think one way to really build a sense of strength and confidence and poise around Valentine's Day, or any other holiday, is to recognize that there is love around you always," he says. "It's just not always in the form that you are seeking it in."

Read the complete article at “Valentine’s Day got you down? You’re not alone in feeling lonely. How to give yourself a boost.”

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