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What does it mean to feel lonely? Most of us have experienced moments of loneliness at some stage in our lives. Some of us more than others, but we all know that feeling of being on our own craving company.
For many people, loneliness is a brief experience that can easily be remedied with a quick catch-up with friends. For others, though, loneliness is a chronic and pervasive experience, one that can leave us feeling like we have nobody to turn to or talk to.
In Australia, many believe we’re currently experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. But what does this actually mean, and how is it measured?
To unpack the epidemic of loneliness, we spoke with Dr Robbie Eres, a clinical psychologist and lecturer in psychology at Deakin University.
So, what does it mean to be lonely? Dr Eres describes loneliness as a drive for connection.
‘Loneliness is something that impacts all people of all ages. It’s quite a common and typical experience for people to feel.
‘You can think of loneliness as an evolutionary drive. When we feel hungry or thirsty, we have the drive to eat and drink. Loneliness is the same thing. When we feel lonely, it’s a drive for us to connect with people,’ he explains.
But loneliness is more than just feeling lonely; it’s something that can weigh heavily on your overall health.
‘The loneliness epidemic is about recognising that social disconnection,’ says Dr Eres. ‘For example loneliness and social isolation, has major implications for a person’s health and well-being.’
He also notes that it’s not something that’s specific to one part of the world; we’re all human, and loneliness can be felt anywhere.
Loneliness has always been a part of the human story, but when did it evolve into the loneliness epidemic?
‘I think loneliness has been around for a while but previously has been seen as an older adult problem. I think more recently, say the last 10-15 years, people are recognising that loneliness can impact people of any age,’ says Dr Eres.
The triggers of loneliness vary from person to person, but there are some common themes.
‘Loneliness can come from societal and economic stress, transition moments in people’s lives, like a transition from high school to university, or the workforce to retirement, chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, loss and grief. It really depends on the individual,’ he says.
Has the loneliness epidemic existed for a lot longer than we realise, or are there new factors, like the evolution of technology, that are playing a role in how we experience it today?
Technology continues to rapidly evolve, and while it connects us in ways that were once unimaginable, it may also contribute to the rising rates of loneliness seen in 2025.
‘I often get asked whether technology is the cause of loneliness nowadays,’ says Dr Eres.‘This is really hard to answer if I’m being honest. For some people, technology can be a really helpful way to connect with people.’
Think about the times that you’ve been away from friends and family; you might find yourself hooked to your phone to maintain connection and ease that feeling of loneliness. Or maybe you’ve had to miss out on plans and experienced the dreaded FOMO, which has led to you feeling lonely and isolated. These are just some ways in which technology has played a role in the loneliness epidemic.
‘If you’re on an overseas trip and missing your family, using technology helps bridge that gap. For other people, technology may increase the gap between desired and actual connections and lead to people feeling left out,’ Dr Eres explains.
A recent study conducted by the Loneliness Awareness Week found that young Australians are more likely to feel lonely due to:
The idea of a male loneliness epidemic has been widely discussed in the media recently. But as Dr Eres points out, it’s not just males who get struck down by bouts of loneliness.
‘Loneliness impacts cisgender men and women equally,’ says Dr Eres. ‘It’s about 1 in 3 Australian cisgender men and women who report being lonely.’
Society is moving in the direction of not viewing vulnerability and the sharing of feelings as a weakness, regardless of gender. Dr Eres believes this is why we’ve seen an increase in reports of loneliness from men.
‘I think we are hearing more about “male loneliness” now because conversations around disconnection and loneliness have become more common place,’ he says.
In the past, traditionally society has stereotyped women as more likely to talk about these things, as opposed to men.
‘The more we normalise things, the easier they are to talk about and engage with. We are also socialised to believe that cisgender women communicate about emotions and feelings more readily and cisgender men just push those thoughts down,’ he says.
Recent studies suggest that ‘male loneliness’ is on the rise because traditional social norms and ideas of masculinity don’t always support meaningful connections.
As mentioned earlier, loneliness is not unique to Australia – it’s a global issue.
‘Recently the World Health Organisation labelled loneliness a global public health concern, and following this, initiated the commission on loneliness and social isolation to reflect the need for better care in this space,’ says Dr Eres.
While loneliness is part of the human experience everywhere, the triggers for loneliness can be different depending on where you live and your cultural background.
‘Loneliness isn’t specific to any one nation, but how loneliness is recognised and experienced may be different based on one’s nation,’ says Dr Eres.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 16% of the global population experiences loneliness, which is around one in six people.
In Australia, there’s been an alarming rise in reports of loneliness, with more than 40% of young Australians reporting that they are lonely.
Other key findings from this report included that:
The report also showed that those who have low community participation and low physical activity are twice as likely to feel lonely.
As a result of these trends, some experts have called for a National Strategy to combat the loneliness epidemic.
Loneliness has always existed, and there are always going to be times when people feel lonely.What matters most is what we do to aid this and ease the loneliness epidemic.
‘There are many things that people can do. Importantly, you need to do something that is going to work for you specifically. Loneliness is a subjective experience and is something that can be quite specific to a person. That means it’s important to keep in mind that what works for one person, may not work for others,’ Dr Eres says.
Whilst Dr Eres notes that loneliness affects everyone differently, there are strategies we can put in place to address the loneliness epidemic.
‘Try strengthening current connections with a family member, a friend, an acquaintance, or even a colleague. If you’re looking to make new friends, try volunteering with something that is meaningful for you. Not only do you get to feel good doing something, but you also get to meet people who have shared values as you,’ he suggests.
Dr Eres also suggests drawing upon your interests as a way to unlock connections with others.
‘In a similar way, joining an interest group or a community sport club can help establish new connections. This is because you usually will have that interest in common. If you like volleyball, join a volleyball club. Connecting over shared interests can be a great way for meeting new people similar to you,’ he says.
Another important thing we can do is remind ourselves that we’re not alone, and that loneliness is a common part of the human experience.
Finally, try to be realistic and patient. We’re not always going to get along with everyone and that’s okay. Dr Eres likes to think of it as ‘birds of a feather, flock together’, and once you find your people, you will know. The loneliness epidemic ends with us.
