Loneliness in Germany: Millions seek comfort on the phone!

Loneliness in Germany: Millions seek comfort on the phone!

It affects millions of people in Germany: loneliness. In recent years, awareness of this pressing issue has increased, and both the federal government and churches are increasingly taking a stance on it. The Protestant Church addresses its members under the motto “You are not alone”, while the federal government has launched a week of action to draw attention to the problem. The Gießener Allgemeine reports that last year the telephone counseling service in Giessen conducted almost 12,500 conversations, with loneliness often being cited as a central reason for calls.

Almost one in four people is affected: almost 20 percent of people in Germany say they feel very lonely. This number cuts across all age groups and genders, with more women affected than men, particularly between the ages of 50 and 70. Younger people, on the other hand, are increasingly turning to email and chat counseling, reflecting the diversity of needs and experiences that accompany loneliness. Statista describes that loneliness is a negative feeling that arises when social contacts are perceived as inadequate. Experts make a clear distinction between “loneliness” and “being alone”: the latter can be a desired state, while the former is often accompanied by pain and shame.

The role of telephone counseling

Telephone counseling plays a central role in the fight against loneliness. Employees offer comfort and support to people in crisis situations, even if they cannot offer solutions. Loneliness is a “silent need,” as Mona Debus, a full-time telephone counseling employee in Giessen, puts it. Around 27 percent of calls are related to loneliness, which makes it clear that in many cases the longing for human closeness is in the foreground. Discussing this loneliness is often a painful process - many callers don't bring it up directly.

The increase in calls about loneliness is interesting, rising from 20 percent in 2019 to a constant 22.5 percent, after a peak of over 23 percent in 2020 during the Corona pandemic. The pressure that isolation puts on many people has grown in recent years and remains a central issue today. Telephone counseling highlights that loneliness can be a health-threatening condition that greatly increases the risk of depression and many other illnesses. In these difficult times, telephone counseling not only offers an ear, but also creates a connection that offers many people support in moments of loneliness.

Social challenges

Loneliness not only has psychological but also social consequences. Loud Statista Long-term loneliness can lead to serious physical and psychological illnesses. The pressure on certain social groups, including older people and socially disadvantaged populations, is particularly high. The discussion about measures to combat loneliness is becoming increasingly louder; A “Ministry of Emotions” is being considered and the Federal Family Ministry’s strategy against loneliness is to be decided on this year.

Given all of these challenges, it is important that the issue of loneliness is perceived not just as an individual problem, but as a challenge for society as a whole that needs to be discussed and addressed on a broader scale. Only through collective efforts can we sustainably combat loneliness and give each individual the feeling that they are not alone.