Lonely seasons of life
Usually when we feel lonely, it passes pretty quickly. That is known as transient loneliness, a feeling that comes and goes. Loneliness only becomes a longer-term problem in some cases. It’s important to remember that loneliness is a very common experience which we will all feel at some stage in our lives (for more on “How to tell if you’re feeling lonely” - See here). It’s easy to think that we may only feel lonely at very specific times in our lives - for instance, when we are older. Indeed, recent research commissioned by laya showed that 91% of people surveyed believed that older people are lonely, while only 47% of the same group thought that young people become lonely. In fact, when loneliness was measured using a well-validated psychometric scale, those aged under 44 had the highest levels of loneliness of all groups surveyed! This pattern of findings is similar to those found in international research about loneliness. Loneliness appears to be more common among young people than among older people.
Who gets lonely?
While being young may make us more likely to feel loneliness, we can of course become lonely during any life stage. There are certain situations that are more likely to make us feel lonely. The research recently commissioned by laya indicates that, similar to previously published research, loneliness strikes us more when we are alone at home. Among the 18-44 year olds who took part in this study, loneliness was seen as being caused by feeling disconnected from others; not having enough close friends or family around; feeling social anxiety; and having a lack of social activities to engage in. More generally, we know that both mental and physical health problems can cause loneliness, and certain personalities can also be more likely to experience loneliness. Even our genetics may influence how likely we are to feel lonely!
Ultimately, though, loneliness usually related to the quality of our social relationships – our marital status, who we live with, and the relationships we have with the people around us drive loneliness. These aspects of our social lives are closely linked with loneliness at all ages. Researchers also believe that our environment can be key in causing loneliness - where we live and work can make it easy or difficult to socialise and meet new and existing friends. Investment in sport, recreation and culture is vital to support the continued growth of this sector, which will in turn have an knock on positive impact on the issue of loneliness in Ireland. The weather probably doesn’t help either!
Managing lonely seasons - can sport help?
We are more likely to feel lonely at times of flux and change in our lives. We all have memories of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, of course. But even more routine change can lead to loneliness. For instance, starting college or university, changing jobs, becoming a parent, or moving neighbourhood or country can all lead to feelings of loneliness. This is why it’s so critical to have ways of connecting with other people that remain consistent at times of change; sport can be one of these solutions. Keeping in touch with old friends, showing up at training, going to or watching matches and being part of a sports club are all examples of things we can try to keep consistent when other situations around us are changing. For more on ways to manage and avoid loneliness see here.
