Most of us will feel alone at some point in our lives – in fact, one-third of men report they regularly are feeling lonely. This is due to how men have morphed from the traditional, tribal packs of our roots to the individualistic, every-man-for-themself society we live in today.

We don’t know our neighbours. Friends on social media aren’t real connections. And as we age, we lose our groups of male friends to suburbia, family life and work and we don’t know where to go when we feel lonely. We start feeling trapped by the constraints of modern life, and even though we might be surrounded by scores of people all the time, we struggle to find ones we can really open up to. We also feel isolated because we tend not to talk about the tough stuff going on in our lives. It’s easier to talk about sports than it is to admit we’re anxious about our divorce. Ignoring loneliness can lead to some serious health problems, including depression, diabetes, substance abuse, and more.

Fortunately, the cure is easy. Research shows that men bond and create friendships by participating in activities together. If you feel alone, the best thing you can do for loneliness is to be comfortable with yourself, celebrate your uniqueness, and have gritty conversations that matter.