Dear Therapist: Will I ever find my soulmate?

Dubai - Dear Therapist is a weekly column responding to our readers' mental health concerns

I feel like I will never find my soulmate. This feeling of loneliness is impacting my self-esteem. Let me know what I should do to make this feeling go away. — Anousha L.

Dear Writer, I can sense that you are very distressed owing to lack of a romantic partner. The idea of spending the rest of lifetime on your own is something that you find daunting. What struck me, however, is that you stated that it has affected your sense of self. I hope that you are not beginning to think that you are defective and flawed!

I want to invite you to step away from a negative spiral. Everyone finds a partner at their own pace and time. Having a mate need not be the only reflection of you as a person. Instead, the need of the hour would be to engage in more relationships to see who you would fit well with. You may have faced several disappointments and heartbreak in the past and this could also have affected your self-image. It is equally important that you strive to be the best version of yourself while searching for a soulmate. Invest in yourself, reflect on the life you have, enrol in therapy or widen your social circle; as you grow, you will, hopefully, find someone of potential.

• Dubai