It is not often spoken about, but New Year’s Eve is quite a lonely day for most people and one of the hardest to spend alone. It is often a day people spend with their families, friends, or significant others, and it is usually associated with festive parties and gatherings. 

People who experience social anxiety or live with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) face emotional stress and sometimes physical symptoms when they experience social holidays like New Year’s Eve. People who have experienced major changes or loss also struggle with such festive days. For them, staying at home is more comforting, although it is rather lonely. 

Not everyone is cut out for the social life, but everyone deserves to enjoy their holidays when they can, whether they are alone or not. 

Here are ways to cope with loneliness on New Year’s Eve:

• Starting with a cliché, make New Year’s resolutions; not unrealistic expectations that you are not going to stick with, but small steps to help improve yourself as an individual and upgrade your daily life by even a little. This can be something as simple as finally practising those breathing exercises you have been meaning to do when you felt anxious, or practicing gratitude for your opportunities and talents. You could even try to call your friends more often. 
• Read a book. We both know you still have to complete your ‘to be read’ list, so this is your chance to finally grab that novel and open its pages. Curl up in bed, play your favourite music, and ignore the tumult outside while you enjoy your solitude and perhaps the company of the main character. 
• Binge-watch movies. It can be anything of your choice, or even a New Year’s Eve classic like ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Order takeout and get as comfortable as you want. You do not have to be dancing among couples or participating in raves to start off your new year; you can simply just stay in and eat those dumplings you have been wanting to order for a while. 

You may tend to feel more despair than happiness on New Year’s Eve, which can be a result of something termed ‘the broken promise effect,’ where high expectations can make you feel as if things should be better than they already are. 

Perhaps you expect the new year to bring positive changes, but you may feel more anxious and depressed than you were at the beginning of the year. Indefinite futures are the worst; however, it is vital you do not keep pressuring yourself with unrealistic expectations or give in to those of others. 

You are human and you know your own limits. Try to go easy on yourself this new year. We should give ourselves space to breathe if we want to grow. If you are struggling to live the life you want because of your anxieties and fears, always feel free to reach out for help. You can visit https://findahelpline.com/countries/lk for emergency helplines.