Latest research reveals fresh insights. - One out of every ten individuals experiences loneliness.
During the past three decades, the loneliness pandemic stretched across all age groups. The study started in 1992 and concluded in the second pandemic year, 2021. Unfortunately, the most recent data will be available only next year.
During the COVID-19 peak, 28.2% of survey respondents admitted to experiencing loneliness. In 2021, the percentage dropped to 11.3%, though still much higher than the 7.6% tracked before the pandemic.
Demographics Affected
Single parents ranked high on the list of those affected, with 16.4% admitting to struggling with loneliness. In households without children, only 10.5% echoed this sentiment.
People over 75 years old faced particularly harsh loneliness, the survey indicated.
Individuals with a migration background reported 16.3% feeling lonely, compared to 9.9% among those without past migration experiences.
Gender Differences
Women consistently experienced loneliness at higher rates than men, and this gap expanded during the pandemic's initial year. In 2021, however, the trend slightly evened out. 13% of all women admitted to loneliness compared to slightly over 10% for men.
The Link Between Loneliness and Trust
The alarming discovery made through this research was the connection between loneliness and trust. As loneliness rises, so does the mistrust of democracy, the state, and the police. This was described by Minister Paus as "disturbing." When people alienate themselves from society, it severely damages democracy, she claimed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) established a commission to combat loneliness in 2020, recognizing it as a global issue. The United Kingdom and Japan even have separate ministries dedicated to this cause.
Minister Paus stated that establishing a similar ministry in Germany might not be mandatory, as the primary objective is to "remove the topic from its taboo status." To achieve this, she outlined plans for awareness campaigns and a nationwide action week on loneliness (from June 17th to 23rd) to mobilize action against the pressing issue.
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