Scarlett Moffatt has spoken candidly about experiencing loneliness during the pandemic, revealing that she turned to Samaritans for help.
The TV personality, who has appeared on Gogglebox and I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and is now an ambassador for the suicide prevention charity, is aiming to raise awareness that there “is no shame in feeling alone”.
“Sometimes it can feel like there is a negative stigma around admitting that you’re lonely, but it’s something that most people will have experienced at one point in their life,” she said.
“In the world of social media, it’s not always clear to see when people are feeling sad or lonely.”
Moffatt recalled feeling guilt when she felt lonely, “because to many people, I have no reason to feel alone”.
“The pandemic was particularly tough for a lot of people. I rang Samaritans for support and would urge anyone else struggling to do so too,” she said.
“Talking to someone who didn’t know me, or judge me, really helped when I wanted to talk about how I was feeling.”
Since the start of the pandemic, the charity has experienced a 22 per cent increase in calls from people needing emotional support who mention loneliness and isolation.
The rise in call numbers was greater in women than men. The charity reported a 26 per cent increase in contact from women and a 15 per cent increase from men.
The Office for National Statistics collected data on loneliness during the pandemic, estimating that 7.2 per cent of UK adults felt lonely “often” or “always” between October 2020 and February 2021.
This represented an increase of 1.1 million people since data was collected in May 2020.
Meanwhile, a separate UK-wide survey, commissioned by Samaritans, found that loneliness is also impacted by where people live.
In those who live in urban areas, 36 per cent said they felt more isolated or lonely during the pandemic, while 20 per cent of those in rural places felt the same.
A Samaritans listening volunteer from Manchester said that while loneliness is a normal human emotion, it can negatively impact day-to-day life if the feeling persists.
“It can make you feel disconnected from those around you and affect your mental wellbeing,” they said.
“I frequently hear just how challenging it can be during my shifts. Most of us will feel lonely at some point in our lives. You don’t have to be alone to feel lonely. There’s no shame in recognising feelings of loneliness – or seeking support if you are struggling.”
Earlier this week, analysis of data from 15,000 people, carried out by researchers at the universities of Exeter and Leeds, found that people who frequently feel lonely as more likely to experience unemployment In the future.
Experts said the findings suggest a need for “greater recognition of the wider societal impacts of loneliness in the working age population”.
Those who felt lonely were 16 per cent more likely to be unemployed between 2017 and 2019, with the probability of unemployment increasing to 19.6 per cent between 2018 and 2020.
Anyone struggling with loneliness can contact Samaritans, free, any time from any phone on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org.
