For many, loneliness is not something we think much about.
We might hear every now and then, something on the news about loneliness being on the rise or how loneliness is affecting the elderly.
Sometimes it is even looked on, albeit jokingly, as something to look forward to whether after a tough day at work or a stressful day with the in-laws.
But for many people, loneliness is far from a joke.
According to the Samaritans, people speaking of loneliness and isolation in their calls have increased by more than a fifth in two years.
It is part of a wider mental health crisis which is affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the UK.
Busting the myth, the Samaritans also say far more young people are feeling lonely and isolated compared to over 55s.
The revelation has come as the UK marks Mental Health Awareness Week.
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is focussing on the impact loneliness has on our mental wellbeing.
It is no wonder then that the Samaritans are hoping to raise awareness over the issue.
Celebrity TV presenter Scarlett Moffatt is best known for her stints on Gogglebox and I’m a Celebrity! Get Me Out of Here but she has had her moments of loneliness and has called the Samaritans for help.
As a Samaritans ambassador, she said: “Sometimes it can feel like there is a negative stigma around admitting that you’re lonely, but it’s something that most people will have experienced at one point in their life.
“There is no shame in feeling alone, and it’s OK to talk about it”.
Her words couldn’t be more timely, as newly released Samaritans data shows a 22 per cent increase in emotional support calls mentioning loneliness and isolation since the start of the pandemic.
Contacts from female identified callers showed an even greater increase of 26 per cent, compared to male identified callers at 15 per cent over the same time.
Scarlett added: “In the world of social media, it’s not always clear to see when people are feeling sad or lonely.
“I remember feeling guilt when I felt lonely because to many people I have no reason to feel alone but loneliness affects us all.
“The pandemic was particularly tough for a lot of people.
“I rang Samaritans for support and would urge anyone else struggling to do so too.
“Talking to someone who didn’t know me, or judge me, really helped when I wanted to talk about how I was feeling”.
David is a listening volunteer at the Colchester branch of the Samaritans. He said: “It’s very rewarding and I feel like I’m doing a lot of good.
“Some issues people are facing are really difficult and can be challenging to hear.
“There is a huge amount of peer support for volunteers, you’re never alone on shift and more senior volunteers are always available if you need to discuss anything.
“Every ten seconds, Samaritans volunteers respond to a call for help – which hasn’t changed during the pandemic.
“Overall, loneliness is now the third most common concern people contact us about, behind mental health/illness and family issues.
“Loneliness can also be triggered by moments of significant change which affect particular age groups such as going to university or retiring.
“However, other important events in life such as moving to a new place, changing jobs, going through a bereavement or a relationship break-up can happen at any age.”
However, the Samaritans feel there is always more that can be done.
“It’s important to remember that support is available, from Samaritans as well as other organisations, but more could also be done.
“A better understanding and a greater appreciation of how important an issue loneliness is would go a long way to break the stigma.
“We also want to break the idea that “loneliness isn’t a serious enough issue” to seek help for – it absolutely is."
To contact Colchester Samaritans, call 116 123 free from any phone.
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