by Lorelei Cohen

Created on: July 16, 2010   Last Updated: February 03, 2012

Although loneliness often occurs after the loss of someone, or something close to us, it can occur for a variety of reasons. Whatever the reason for your loneliness might be the fact of the matter is that you are alone. You are lonely and you want the craving for companionship that haunts you to end.

Perhaps a close love relationship has ended or a best friend has moved away and you no longer have the close bond that an intimate friend can provide. Maybe it is retirement from your profession, or the loss of a support group, or club that has caused the seclusion that now exists.

Unfortunately the discovery that you are really truly lonely also often comes with the realization that you do not know how to find the companionship that you so desire. Although relationships do take time to develop, they are not all that difficult to find, and you just have to get out there to discover the companionship that is right for you.

There is only one way to accomplish this, and it is done by interacting with other individuals, and forming new relationships with them. The type of relationships that you desire is completely up to you, and your needs, but understanding the basics of relationships will help insure that future periods of loneliness will not be so dramatic. You can insure this by creating a support network of friends.

Envision a circle with you at the center of it. Now draw a circle around that circle, and another around that circle, and yet another around that one. You now have a person placed at the center of a series of 4 circles. These circles represent the closeness, or bond, of those who you interact with.

Within the first circle you will generally want to have one to five individuals. These will be the people who are closest to your heart. They are generally your mate, your best friend, or close family members. You should always try to have at least two people within this group, this insures that should you be alienated from one of these close individuals, that you still have another to provide you with support.

Within the next circle you will place your close friends, and other family members, or the individuals who would be your second closest bonds. There should be more individuals within this circle than in the first. These individuals are your second line of defense against loneliness.

In the third circle will be your business associates, social

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