Loneliness in the UK is a prevalent issue, and research has shown that it can have negative impacts on our mental health. The Covid-19 pandemic has also contributed to an increase in reports of loneliness over the past 2 years.
This week (9-15th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, and the theme this year is loneliness. The Mental Health Foundation are encouraging everyone to share their stories of loneliness with the hashtag #IveBeenThere to show that we aren’t alone, our mental health matters, and together we can make a change and tackle loneliness.
We thought this would be the perfect opportunity to highlight some of the facts and statistics surrounding loneliness in the UK and some ways we can combat it.
The Office for National Statistics found that since the beginning of lockdown, reported levels of loneliness in the UK had increased by 2.2%; between October 2020 and February 2021, 7.2% of people surveyed in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) said that they “often” or “always” felt lonely, compared to 5% in Spring 2020.
This research identified that during the pandemic, areas with a higher proportion of young people aged 16-24 had the highest levels of reported loneliness, along with areas with high levels of unemployment.
On the other hand, areas in the countryside reported lower levels of loneliness than urban areas.
As well as young adults and individuals currently unemployed, there are other groups within our communities that are more at risk of loneliness in the UK.
Research has shown that individuals with a learning disability are more likely to report feeling isolated and alone. Read more on loneliness and learning disabilities here.
Individuals with a physical disability are also more likely to report feeling lonely compared to individuals without. Research conducted by Sense has shown that:
Pre-pandemic, research conducted by the Office for National Statistics showed that the most at risk groups were unmarried, middle-aged adults with a long-term condition (81%), widowed, older homeowners living with a long-term condition (69%), and younger renters with little sense of belonging (61%).
So, what impact does this have on our health?
Julianne Holt-Lunstad et. al conducted a meta-analytic review in 2010 that looked at the link between the quality and quantity of the participants’ social relationships and mortality. Researchers analysed participant data over 7 and a half years and found that there was a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with strong social relationships compared to those with weaker social connections.
In 2015, Julianne Holt-Lunstad et al. conducted a further meta-analytic review that looked at loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality. The stand-out conclusion from this was that loneliness is likely to increase the risk of death by 26%.
Furthermore, loneliness has been identified as a risk factor for developing depression later in life (Emilie Courtin and Martin Knapp, 2015), and lonely and isolated individuals are also at a higher risk of dementia (J. Cacioppo and S. Cacioppo, 2013).
It’s clear to see that loneliness has a significant impact on an individuals quality of life, and sadly it is a cycle that is difficult to break. By preventing the development of loneliness and raising awareness we can make a difference.
It is important to reach out if you’re feeling lonely – as we know from research into the impact of loneliness on our health, prolonged loneliness can really affect us both physically and mentally.
Our blog on loneliness in lockdown looks at ways to combat loneliness during the lockdown, however these tips can also be applied to our lives even as we start to return to a sense of normality.
The Mental Health Foundation have put together a resource on tackling loneliness that includes help, advice and coping strategies.
Northern Healthcare is committed to our residents’ wellbeing, and we provide our residents with tools and support to overcome feelings of loneliness. Our services run lots of group activities to provide the space for residents to engage with each other. Our teams encourage our residents to get out and about in the community to take part in activities they enjoy and meet other likeminded individuals.
Find out more about our services here.
Cacioppo JT, Cacioppo S, 2013. Older adults reporting social isolation or loneliness show poorer cognitive function 4 years later.
Emilie Courtin, Martin Knapp, 2015. Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B. Smith, J. Bradley Layton, 2010. Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B Smith, Mark Baker, Tyler Harris, David Stephenson, 2015. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review.
Office for National Statistics, 2018. Loneliness – What characteristics and circumstances are associated with feeling lonely?
Office for National Statistics, 2021. Mapping loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sense, 2021. Fear of mental health crisis as loneliness rises dramatically amongst disabled people.
Photo by Anthony Intraversato on Unsplash.
