As someone who feels incredibly lonely the majority of the time, I was excited to read this article and see what they suggest for lessening the feeling. Speaki

As someone who feels incredibly lonely the majority of the time, I was excited to read this article and see what they suggest for lessening the feeling. Speaking for myself only, these three tips are not very effective at combating loneliness. I already participate in online communities of like-minded people (hi, HN). Although the research is still young, it seems like the predominant opinion is that participating in online forums/social media is not effective at combating loneliness and in some cases can exacerbate the issue. Video conferencing, although effective for working efficiently with a team, I fail to see how this helps with loneliness. I'm in the office most days, and even face to face contact does not curb loneliness - because loneliness is not the same as being alone. The third tip may have some merit. Making a concerted effort to communicate with more people (especially about non-work things) seems to have helped me a little bit. I recently read another article on loneliness that suggests trying to talk with a few strangers a day - and it seems to be helping me a bit.