It's hard to believe, but in today's world of modern technologies and social networks, more and more people feel lonely. According to a 2018 survey of twenty thousand US residents, about fifty percent admitted that they don’t have quality social interactions every day. Moreover, they often feel isolated, even in large companies of people. For comparison, in the 1980s, the share of such people was twenty percent. In addition, numerous studies show that the level of alcohol and drug addiction, as well as suicide cases, has significantly increased among Americans. These problems are often the consequences of loneliness.

Some people may consider the problem of loneliness insignificant. They say that to avoid loneliness, you should just start communicating and interacting with people more. Of course, you can attend various events, join art and sports clubs, engage in social activities, change jobs, or start speaking with people on social networks. However, does it always help? No. As mentioned before, many people feel abandoned even when they are among others. This proves that the problem of loneliness is much deeper than we can even imagine. Nevertheless, are there ways to solve it?

People often feel lonely when they aren’t heard. Remember when you shared your emotions or problems at work, and the person you spoke with didn’t seem to listen to you? How did you feel then? You must have felt left behind. Among the signs distinguishing a bad listener are interruptions, illogical answers, frequent phone checks, and lack of concentration.

However, if you think that simply refraining from these actions is enough to be a good listener, you're wrong. Listening is one of those special skills that don’t have a set of rules. This skill is more about your feelings and mood than specific actions. To practice and improve your listening skills, you need to communicate with different people.