Loneliness and a desire to connect is something that we all experience in life. In 2023, the Surgeon General issued a report on loneliness and shared resources to help build connections.
Surgeon General Report on Loneliness
Here are some resources for emotional support and community building:
- AHML Community and Social Services resource page
- Emotions Anonymous International (EAI) facilitates the Emotions Anonymous (EA) 12-Step Program by providing a central location for support group meeting information. EAI offers EA-approved materials and other resources to help individuals improve their mental health and well-being. EAI's mission is to support individuals with emotional difficulties in their efforts to live more manageable lives.
- Koko Cares offers free peer support via Facebook/Instagram Messenger or the Telegram App.
- Connect2Affect provides resources and tools to help you if you're an older adult and lonely.
- Co-Dependents Anonymous offers a 12-step recovery program for people seeking healthy relationships. Provides face-to-face, online and phone meetings in the U.S. and internationally.
- Vibrant offers free tools and resources for emotional support, including calming exercises, peer support apps and stories of hope and recovery.
- America’s VetDogs provides free training and service dogs to program-eligible veterans, first-responders and active-duty service members living with PTSD or other disabilities.
- Emotional Support Animal Registry of America offers a webpage that answers most frequently asked questions regarding emotional support animals including how to know if you may need an Emotional Support Animal.
- HeyPeers is a directory of free or low-cost virtual support groups for people with various mental health conditions.
- Mental Health America (MHA) maintains a Support Group Locator to direct you to a variety of organizations that offer support groups for individuals, their family members and friends. Some support groups are peer-led, while others are led by a mental health professional.
- Pro2Pro Listserv provides a free, anonymous online “professional to professional” peer support communication platform where professionals with mental health conditions can give and receive support from their peers.
- SupportGroups.com is a website featuring 200+ online support groups which include support groups for mental health conditions, medical conditions and traumatic experiences, including gun violence.
- The Tribe Wellness Community has free, online peer support groups, forums and chat rooms offering members a safe place to connect about mental health challenges related to addiction, anxiety, depression, OCD and a dedicated group for teens.
- The American Psychological Association offers guidance on building your resilience and adapting to difficult or challenging life circumstances.