Even introverts know what loneliness feels like. There is a key difference between being alone and feeling lonely. “Alone” is a state of being by oneself without others around, and can actually be a healthy phenomenon. Everyone needs a little time away from others to plan, consider, and simply to rest. Loneliness is a different matter entirely.
就算是性格内向的人，也知道孤独是什么滋味。“独自一人” 和“感到孤独” 有着根本区别。“独自一人”是指只有自己、身边无人陪伴的状态，实际上也可以是一种健康现象。每个人都需要一点独处的时间，用于计划、思考或纯粹休息。孤独却完全是另外一码事。
While it’s normal to feel lonely or isolated from time to time, too much loneliness can be unhealthy or even dangerous. Numerous studies have linked excessive, ongoing feelings of loneliness and isolation to depression, mental illness, and even physical problems such as insomnia, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
虽然偶尔感到孤独或孤立还算正常，但若经常如此，可能就不健康甚至危险了。无数研究均认为持续的过度孤独感会导致抑郁症、心理疾病，以及像失眠、糖尿病、高血压和心脏病等各种身体疾病。
The good news is, loneliness is a condition that can be fought against and overcome! Here are 9 things to do when you feel lonely that will make you feel healthier, more integrated, and less painfully alone.
好消息是，孤独是一种能够战胜克服的状态！当你感到孤独时，可以尝试下面9件事情，这样你会感到更健康、更协调，也不再为孤单而烦恼了。
1. Take a walk
散散步
This may seem disingenuous, but walking has been proven to offer many great health benefits both for the body and the mind. Any form of exercise would do as well, but walking is better because it allows one to explore their town or the area around them in a way a car simply does not allow.
这个建议听上去好像不够实诚，但事实证明散步确实对身心健康大有益处。其他锻炼方式也行，但散步更好，因为散步让人有机会探索自己的城市或附近街区，而这一点绝不是汽车能代劳的。
While walking, take a different route than you usually would to get to a usual goal point. Even better, simply pick a direction at random and start. Just the feeling of walking down the street, surrounded by traffic and other people, can make you feel more involved in the pulse of your city or town. Besides, you may discover something new you didn’t know your town had to offer!
散步时选一条不同于平常去往目的地的道路；最好是随便选个方向走一走。走在大街上被人群车辆包围的感觉，能让你觉得自己和这座城市更加密切相关。而且，你或许还能在自己的城市里发现新奇的事物呢！
2. Join a club
加入俱乐部
Everyone has an interest or passion, and sometimes a fresh point of view can help you enhance your talents or interests in new and surprising ways. Even the smallest town usually has at least some clubs. Maybe you enjoy chess and would like to play with others to sharpen your skills. You could even consider something you’ve never tried before: pottery, writing, wine tasting, or even dancing are all good ways to interact with others and try new things. If your area doesn’t have any clubs that interest you, why not start one of your own? Odds are good that if you have an interest, someone else in the area is likely to share it.
人人都有爱好、激情甚或创意观点，而这些能通过新奇方式激发你的禀赋或兴趣。就算是再小的城市也会有几个俱乐部。或许你喜欢下棋，希望找人一起切磋技艺；你还可以考虑以前从不曾尝试的玩意儿：陶艺、写作、品酒或跳舞都是与人接触并学习新事物的好办法。如果附近没有你感兴趣的俱乐部，那何不自己创办一个呢？当你有某个兴趣爱好时，或许周边的人也会被你带动起来。
3. Talk to people
与人交谈
Isolation is a new hallmark of our paradoxically “connected” society. Between texting, Tweeting, Facebooking, email and the phone, people are more connected than ever before. The problem with all these kinds of communication is that they omit the face-to-face element of socialization.
在这个“密切联系”的社会，“隔离”却讽刺性地成了一个新标志。随着短信、推特、脸谱、邮件及电话的普及，人与人之间的联系前所未有地频繁密集。但问题是，所有这些通讯方式都忽略了社交中的“面对面接触”元素。
This can lead to situations like someone observing, “I have 6,000 friends on Facebook, 4,822 Twitter followers, and who knows how many people watching me on social media…and I don’t have one person I can call to go out for the night!” Try getting out and talking to your neighbors, the cashier at the convenience store, or even total strangers. Ask questions and listen carefully to the answers. This is a great way to make new connections, or maybe meet people who share your interests and hobbies.
这就造成了类似情景：“我在脸谱网上有6000位好友、推特网上有4822个粉丝，而且无数人都能在社交媒体上看到我……可当我晚上想要出去玩时，竟然没有一个能够叫上一起去的人！” 因此，请走出去主动和邻居、便利店收银员甚至陌生人讲讲话吧。问几个问题并认真听对方解答。这是建立新联系或认识志同道合朋友的好方法。
4. Go to the coffee shop
去咖啡店
These days you can’t throw a rock without hitting a coffee shop, especially in the larger cities. Coffee shops are a great place to meet people and make contacts. As with any other social situation, it’s not enough simply to sit there sipping on your venti mochachocafrappalottaccino with half-fat soy and extra espresso. Compliment someone on their purse, their shoes, their tie, or even their laptop. A compliment is a good way to start up a conversation and might just make you a new friend.
现如今，尤其是在大城市，你随便扔块石头就能砸中一家咖啡店。咖啡店是结识朋友的好地方。正如其他社交场合一样，你不能只坐在那儿纯粹喝咖啡，夸两句别人的包包、鞋子、领带或电脑本吧。一句赞美的话就是开始交谈甚至结识新朋友的好办法。
