men felt that they had the opportunity for male “The fear is that people will tell you just to pull connection, but that social norms around male yourself together. Also there are people in the emotional expression limited the depth of those world with really serious issues and isolation relationships – that they may feel lonely even doesn’t really compare!” when ‘connected’. These gender norms, for (Bereaved, Female, Glasgow, 18-34) some, were also contributors to how difficult they found it to process negative emotions or Some groups also felt that stigma around situations, including loneliness.particular life experiences or issues acted as a “It used to be indoctrinated into us boys barrier to people reaching out to connect with that when we were faced with adversity others. This was particularly the case for young or hardship we should tough it out or new mums and individuals with health and ‘pull our socks up’. It was somehow a mobility issues. These participants felt society’s terrible weakness to admit things had lack of understanding about their circumstances got on top of us.” undermined their confidence, raised their anxiety levels and ultimately stopped them from engaging (Mobility, Male, London, 35-54)with others in the way they would prefer. For example, young new mums noted that they Modern lives – Participants also felt that wider sometimes felt judged by other mums, or other trends in modern living were contributing to members of their community, and people with social disconnection and making loneliness health issues had experiences of being, or feeling more common. For example, they felt people that they were, negatively stereotyped as less were working harder and longer hours, living in able, or even ‘lazy’. a more antisocial way; e.g. seeing people less, “It’s still looked down upon young mums always in a hurry, and with less time for social most of the time I feel judged and made feel connection. There was a sense that people are like a less than mum just because of my age more transient, meaning that community ties can often patronised by other older mums. This be harder to establish and maintain.makes it hard to make friends as people my “Work takes a lot of my time, usually a age have diferent priorities therefore there is ten-hour day and certainly during the week, not a lot in common.” the last thing I want to do is be painting (Young new mum, Belfast, 18-24) the town red.” (Divorced/separated, Female, Glasgow, 55-74)Digital age – The rise of digital and online engagement meant that participants felt there Stigma – Participants said that they felt there were fewer opportunities to connect in person. was stigma around being lonely; they did not The rise in connections occurring over social feel that loneliness would be recognised as media and online contributed to feelings of a ‘real’ issue and something that people can isolation and loneliness as this change in legitimately ask for help. The perception that connections was seen as less ‘deep and there are other social issues more ‘important’ or meaningful’ than face-to-face encounters. that are ‘more warranting of attention’ compared “I like to meet people in a social environment, to loneliness prevented some participants from have that interaction with an actual person seeking support before a temporary feeling of and not a screen.” loneliness became more chronic. This narrative (Mobility, Female, London, 18-34) was reminiscent of the trajectory of mental health campaigning – of the need to establish mental health as a ‘legitimate’ issue, as part of Closed communities – Some participants said normalising social conversation about it and that they felt actively unwelcome in their own ensuring adequate support. communities, and that this had contributed to What causes loneliness, and how can it become chronic? 27