Being lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to an elderly people’s charity in Notts.
Bereavement, relationship breakdown and mental health issues can all lead to loneliness that many people struggle to cope with and often talk about.
The Campaign to End Loneliness suggests more than a million people in the UK are affected and it reveals that it is no longer just a problem for the elderly, with many of the sufferers being young and middle-aged.
Maria Cooke, Development Manager at Age UK Nottinghamshire believes that there is a physical impact of loneliness and can increase the risk of severe health problems, including dementia.
She said: “You have to be able to distinguish loneliness from being alone. People who are alone aren’t necessarily lonely, but it is about the amount of social contact that you have and the amount that you want.
“Loneliness can be for many reasons and affect people of all ages, not just the elderly.”
Video: Maria Cooke, from Age UK explains why people are affected by loneliness.
Notts Mums is a group set for mothers who are ‘socially lonely’ and offers a weekly meet for anyone who wants a chat, to prevent the effects of loneliness.
Shweta Saxena, Founder of Notts Mums says her own experiences of loneliness as a mother made her want to connect with other mothers.
She said: “A year ago I was alone with my baby, I had no one to go out with or to meet up and talk to. It started affecting my role as a wife and as a mother.
“Slowly and gradually it was eating away at my confidence and every area of your life, including your mental health.
“Having the group makes a lot of difference, it allows you to talk, chat and laugh with other people. Meaning you can go back home feeling very nice”.
The group is based in Nottingham City Centre and offers a free ‘meet and chat’ session for mums in Nottingham. Their aim is to nurture and empower their ‘social me’.
The Notts Mums group are now planning to work with Age UK, so that older and younger generations can come together to try and combat loneliness.
