Why does no one care about me?

We’re living in a disconnected world. Despite the internet and social media, humans feel more isolated than ever. For those who are already prone to depression or anxiety, it’s easy to get caught in a downward spiral thinking, “No one cares about me.” But this just isn’t true. Feelings like this are a result of your mindset, rather than outside circumstances. You can learn to overcome them.

Why does no one care about me?

It’s natural to feel sad or lonely sometimes. It isn’t normal for loneliness to lead to thoughts like “no one cares about me.” If you’re feeling like no one cares about you, there could be a few reasons why.

Your perception is wrong

Our beliefs create our world. The way that we perceive an event or experience is much more important than what actually happened. Changing our perspective can turn challenges into opportunities, failure into learning moments and a negative past into a positive future. It can also change anxiety into gratitude, fear into accomplishment – and loneliness into abundance. It’s likely that lots of people care about you. You just need to change your perspective, reach out and let them know you need them.

You push others away

When thoughts like “nobody cares about me” take over your mind, does reaching out to friends sound like the last thing you want to do? Do you find you don’t have many close relationships? You may actually be pushing others away. You’ll need to examine the limiting beliefs you created in childhood that are preventing you from creating fulfilling relationships.

Your relationship has lost passion

Many of us depend on our partners to ease feelings we’ve put on repeat, like “no one cares about me.” When we feel a loved one has grown distant and no longer cares, it can be especially destructive. There are lots of stressors in relationships however that have nothing to do with how much they care about you – the reason could be money, stress at work or a loss of the polarity you felt when you first met. Get to the root cause to restore the feelings of support and love.

You’re not communicating your needs

Even when you have loving relationships in your life, it’s possible that they don’t know what you need – or don’t know how to be supportive. They may have no idea that anything is wrong or feel uncomfortable bringing up your emotional health. Most people don’t have experience helping a loved one with depression. Tell them what you need. Ask for a hug, a long talk or whatever support looks like for you.

You’re not surrounding yourself with the right people

Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a supportive family. Yet your limiting beliefs may be holding you back from associating with supportive friends as well. Beliefs like “I don’t deserve great friends” or “No one cares about me because I’m not worth it” cause you to accept unhealthy relationships instead of raising your standards and surrounding yourself with good people.

What do you do when no one cares about you?

Whatever the reason you’re wondering “Why does no one care about me?,” remember that it’s a state of mind – not a fact of reality. You can control this feeling, just as you can control any other emotion.

1. Use the power of reframing

Meaning is everything – and you can learn how to change the meaning you give your experiences, thoughts and emotions. Instead of thinking “no one cares about me,” practice gratitude for all the things you do have in life. Instead of letting negative self-talk take over your mind, practice acknowledging these thoughts and letting them go. You’ll begin to notice fewer and fewer negative emotions.

2. Change your story

You can’t control who cares about you – the only thing you can control is yourself. You can shift your mindset from victim to hero and take back control of your life. You can realize that life is happening for you, not to you. You decide what happens to you. And only you can change your story for good. Decide to live a fulfilling and meaningful life, no matter who cares about you or not.

3. Take care of yourself

What do you do when no one cares about you? You must care about yourself. Exercising and feeding your body the right fuel go a long way to improving your mood and mindset. Take up healthy habits like priming, meditation, yoga or journaling. Do something you love. Put on your favorite song and sing as loud as you can. Remind yourself that you don’t need anyone else to feel happy.

4. Face your fears

A hard truth: It’s easier to stay alone and tell ourselves, “nobody cares about me” than it is to get out there and create relationships. Many of us are afraid to reach out to our loved ones for help. We’re afraid to make new friends or enter relationships. We’re afraid of failure, of embarrassment or of what others think of us. Yet only by facing your fears will you ever stop feeling lonely.

5. Give back

There’s a reason Tony always says, “The secret to living is giving.” There is nothing like giving back to those less fortunate to make us realize how blessed we really are. Plus, volunteering will provide you with a community of like-minded people who can become close friends. It’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone and start easing feelings that nobody cares about you.