“Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self”
May Sarton (American novelist and poet)
ILLY Systems: We have produced this article as part of our continued drive to make a real difference across our communities so that, together, we can build a better world for everyone.
The last few years have presented many challenges – and we are only now just beginning to see the full impact the COVID lockdowns and cost of living crisis has had – and continues to have – on our society.
One major challenge has been the hidden epidemic of loneliness which has impacted people of all ages – children starting new schools unable to interact with their peers and make new friends, for example, or elderly people that spent weeks and months without talking to anyone. The impact of this shared experience of isolation, alongside the ongoing impact of financial hardship, will sadly be felt for many years.
Putting together this short article on Loneliness has proved incredibly insightful, and we hope you find it useful. As always, we welcome any feedback you may have and we remain eternally optimistic that we all live for a better today and stronger tomorrow.
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What is Loneliness?
Loneliness is a universal human experience that all of us will encounter at some point in our lives. It can be defined as a complex emotional state accompanied by a sense of emptiness, sadness or disconnection from others. It can affect both mental and physical well-being at various levels of intensity.
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It is important to realise that loneliness is not the same as ‘social isolation’ – social isolation is a lack of social connections, and can lead to loneliness for some people. Loneliness is much more about the psychological consequences of having a gap between the interaction and social support you would like, compared to what you are actually getting. It is possible to feel lonely without being socially isolated.
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What is the challenge in the UK?
In the UK, research has shown that loneliness is the modern health epidemic. Recent studies have highlighted that many young people have been caught up in a cycle of loneliness since the rise of the pandemic and the concurrent cost of living crisis.
According to a recent analysis of ONS data, the Campaign to End Loneliness found that approximately 10% of individuals between the ages of 16 and 29 reported feeling lonely ‘often or always’.
This figure represents the highest proportion compared to other age groups, and is more than double that reported by the over 70s. |
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Loneliness was found as a persistent problem across various age brackets, which understandably increased during the pandemic and has remained at high levels in the period since.
In late 2020, at the height of lockdown, the loneliness rate peaked at 7.2% and has continued to rise to its current level of 7.08%. In 2018, this figure stood at 5%.
At the time, few could estimate the potential harm lockdowns could impose on the population, particularly on those living alone or away from their families. These stark findings serve to highlight these harms and the urgent need to address them.
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Health Implications
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The evidence shows that loneliness isn’t just a passing feeling, and that there are profound correlations between extended periods of loneliness and poor physical health and long-lasting mental health problems.
For example:
However, it is crucial to recognise that there are effective solutions available to mitigate loneliness and combat social isolation.
Tackling Loneliness
There are a number of dedicated support services in the UK that help people recognise and address symptoms of loneliness. These services employ various interventions to tackle the problem at hand, these include:
- Volunteers available to provide calls and lend an ear to individuals during their moments of need
- Face-to-face gatherings – Frequently, people require the physical presence of others to experience a sense of belonging and forge lasting friendships
- Digital Conversations – Virtual chats have become increasingly prevalent since the pandemic, reflecting a shift from in-person interactions to online platforms
- Community Support – Volunteers can assist in gathering daily necessities for individuals, such as shopping, medications, and essential items
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The Campaign to End Loneliness teams have created this useful diagram which shows how organisations and individuals can work together to tackle loneliness:
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More information can be found here
Problematic substance use rarely exists in isolation, and there exists a comorbidity between loneliness and drug / alcohol use.
Many treatment service providers are now focusing on the impact loneliness can have on individual substance use and factoring this into their client’s support plans – this holistic approach is nothing new, of course, but the need to examine the broader context has perhaps never been more pertinent than it is today.
Whilst the need to adopt an holistic approach is well understood and evidence-based, we have found that there is still a lack of effective tools available to support people most in need.
Below are some examples of approaches and tools that can assist services in their delivery of effective client interventions. |
How can ILLY Help?
At ILLY, we continuously develop and improve our systems so that all users can best support their clients.
We believe that by working together with other services, we can use our existing technology to develop screening tools for individuals experiencing loneliness. This measurement will allow organisations to offer support to those who require it most and tailor their treatment package accordingly.
Our suite of Digital Tools includes the online platform ChangeYourTomorrow – a public facing web page which can be adapted by services and used to provide helpful links, documentation and online self-referrals.
Our service user portal – myCarePath – enables clients to engage with their support plans in a digital way and provides a two-way method of communication between the service and the service user through which therapeutic screening tools can be shared and messages exchanged.
ILLY would welcome an opportunity to discuss further the topic of loneliness and hear from others about their experiences in tackling this modern health epidemic.
Helpful Links and Charities
If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please get in touch with our Client Services team and we’ll be happy to help.
 020 4566 5727  clientservices@illycorp.com
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