Loneliness is stressful; solitude is not. Loneliness comes from a lack of truly intimate relationships with friends or family members. (In this case, intimacy refers to sharing deep feelings, fears, and so on.) This is how we unburden ourselves and relieve stress. Feeling as though you belong somewhere or feeling part of a community also can alleviate loneliness.

Here are steps you can take to create more supportive relationships in your life:

• Find some sort of social group to belong to by looking into gourmet cooking clubs, art classes, and so on. Find an activity that you’re really drawn to, and chances are, you’ll meet like-minded souls with whom you can form quality friendships.

• Have a couple of nice dinner parties each year. It’s a way to create more intimate friendships with people who may be only acquaintances or casual friends.

• Get involved in your community. Whether it’s a “not in my backyard” lobby or a community street sale, get out and meet your neighbors. Responding to community-based programs, ranging from crafts groups to yoga, is the way to find support. In fact, community outreach workers use the arts, crafts, fitness, computer classes, and so on as tools to attract people within the community who could benefit from support. What often takes place in community-based programs is a great deal of talking and sharing before, during, or after the activity. These are places where you make friends, find someone you can talk to, and most importantly, find that you’re not alone.

• Volunteer. Volunteering for causes dear to your heart is a great way to meet people and feel needed. Meals on Wheels, elder-care facilities, street youth programs, and so forth all attract wonderful souls with whom you may find friendship and comfort.

• Get a dog. Dogs need to be walked, which means you’ll meet other people walking their dogs. And dog owners tend to gravitate toward other dog owners. It’s a great jumping-off point for meeting people. Aside from that, many studies point to the health effects of pet ownership, including lowered blood pressure and lowered incidence of heart disease. (Positive health effects can be seen with any pet.)