The world has become accustomed to concerns about the male loneliness epidemic. But research suggests women are just as lonely
No one would think of Sasha* as lonely, least of all Sasha herself. The 38-year-old from Sydney has close and longstanding friendships, proactively keeps in touch and makes plans, and is engaged with her local community.
“All those things that you read about, about why men might be lonely – they don’t maintain one-on-one friendships, or they’re not good at reaching out, or their conversations aren’t deep and meaningful – none of those issues apply to me,” she says. “I’m a very socially connected person.”
Yet Sasha often felt lonely during her first year of motherhood, even when she was surrounded by other people. (All case studies’ names have been changed.) She attributes it now to the intensity of the experience. “It’s the identity shift of your first child, having no idea of what you’re doing, learning on the fly … You feel alone.”
We’re living through a global crisis of loneliness, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a priority for public health, but it’s hard to miss that the coverage and conversation has been overwhelmingly focused on men.
Global Google searches for “male loneliness”
