Mental Health

Ellie Mental Health just released a new expert guide on how to cope with rejection and loneliness in relationships. And with Valentine's Day today, this guide provides valuable insights into why rejection can have a strong impact on one's life and therapist-recommended methods for coping and healing.

The guide acknowledges that rejection comes in many forms. For example, a person may feel rejected if romantic feelings aren't reciprocated, they were outcasted from a friend group, experienced a breakup, or didn't receive a job offer.

By nature, people want to be accepted and appreciated. However, no one can be accepted by everyone, which is why practically everyone experiences rejection at some point in their lives. And for many people, rejection can be very painful.

Rejection has the potential to have a long-term negative impact on an individual's life. Being rejected can lower a person's self-worth and make them believe that they are unlikeable. They might ruminate over their shortcomings or feel they need to change to earn the approval of others.

People can also develop a fear of rejection, become more socially anxious, or avoid new activities. This anxiety can have a lasting effect on future relationships, causing the individual to fear intimacy, avoid commitment, become distrustful and unavailable, or develop unhealthy attachment patterns.

Additionally, many people struggle with loneliness and feelings of grief following a rejection. It can be hard to come to terms with a lost relationship or being single.

For people who have recently experienced rejection, listed are 6 positive ways to cope and heal in a healthy manner:

1. Acknowledge your feelings: Rather than be dismissive or seek to mask the pain, Ellie encourages readers to accept their feelings and commit to healing.

2. Self-affirmations and gratitude: Self-affirmations can help someone remember positive traits about themselves and boost their self-worth.

3. Practice self-compassion: Rather than focus on what could have been, the guide encourages readers to have grace and forgiveness for their past actions.

4. Focus on enjoyable activities: Self-care is an important part of the healing process. Healthy coping activities can include art, music, writing, getting outdoors, and more.

5. Spend time with loved ones: Rejection can cause people to withdraw and feel alone. Spending time with loved ones helps people remember they are valued and cared for.

6. Talk about it: Decompressing and talking about rejection can help relieve stress and make the individual feel supported.