LONELINESS

In 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that loneliness is a pressing global health threat. Research shows that it poses the same health risk as 15 cigarettes a day. According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, between January and February 2024, one in four adults in the UK reported feeling lonely. The UK government estimates the cost of severe loneliness per person is roughly £10,000 per year as a result of its impact on wellbeing, health and productivity.*

Marmalade Trust is UK’s leading loneliness charity for all ages, dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and empowering people to make connections. One of its key approaches is…

To identify the people most at risk from experiencing loneliness in society, signpost them to the right support and resources and help empower them to make new friendships and connections.

At Riders Minds, we know that people in farming and rural communities, and many in equestrianism too, are people at risk of loneliness.  BBC’s Countryfile presenter and farmer Adam Henson explains why here and also the shocking statistics around suicide.

Similar challenges to those facing farmers can apply to equestrians too. They often work on their own, with little human interaction.  Whilst some professions require travel, they’re often predominantly solitary jobs eg equine dentists, physios, vets, farriers, saddlers. Residents of once lively rural communities can become isolated as facilities and services such as local shops, pubs, bus routes close.  Loneliness can happen in workplaces and schools too, and bullying can be both a loneliness cause and effect.

So, whether riding a tractor, combine harvester, quad bike, or a horse; living in a rural community, and/or an isolated agricultural or equestrian home;  working in a predominantly solitary or isolated rural profession; running a rural or equestrian business, or working from home in any capacity, Riders Minds can play its part in raising loneliness awareness but, moreover, empower those identified as ‘at risk’ to make connections, create communities by signposting to, and providing, resources and support to reduce loneliness.

ALONE OR LONELY? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Being alone and feeling lonely are not the same thing.

Definitions:

Alone – a physical state where you are physically by yourself.

Lonely – an emotional state, often of sadness, where you are feeling isolated and/or disconnected from others – sometimes even when they’re right next to you.

You can be alone without feeling lonely. Some people are OK spending lots of their time on their own.  Some can feel lonely even when around other people.

Sometimes we are happy to be by ourselves, and other times wish for the company of others. Sometimes a bit of both. We all manage our emotions differently, and have different needs and wants.

Note that loneliness isn’t the same thing as social isolation.  Loneliness happens when you feel distressed when you’re alone, while social isolation is the lack of regular interactions with other people.

TYPES OF LONELINESS

There are different types of loneliness. The following three are the most commonly identified in evidence and literature on loneliness:

• Emotional loneliness – ‘the absence of meaningful relationships’
• Social loneliness – a ‘perceived deficit in the quality of social connections’
• Existential loneliness – a ‘feeling of fundamental separateness from others and the wider world’ Other types of loneliness can include:
• Transient loneliness – a feeling that comes and goes
• Situational loneliness – only occurring at certain times like Sundays, bank holidays or Christmas
• Chronic loneliness – feeling lonely all or most of the time

IMPACT OF LONELINESS

We might all feel lonely sometimes. It’s a natural human emotion after all. However, prolonged and/or intense experiences of loneliness can negatively impact our lives. It is no trivial matter either. Data examples below show how it can seriously impact our health and wellbeing:

• Loneliness can: – increase the risk of early mortality by 26%. – put people at greater risk of poorer mental health, including depression and suicide.
• Loneliness is associated with: – elevated blood pressure and acute stress responses. – ‘poorer sleep quality’ in young adults – ‘sleep inadequacy and dissatisfaction’ in the general population.

There appears to be an association between mental wellbeing and loneliness: research estimates that 60% of people experiencing chronic loneliness experience mental distress, compared to 15% of people who are not chronically lonely.

• 62% of lonely young people say that ‘feeling lonely makes them ‘lose confidence in themselves’ . And, it can impact our engagement with education and employment too:
• Loneliness in early adolescence is associated with lower educational attainment .
• 48% of lonely young people say that feeling lonely makes them ‘less likely to want to progress in work’
• Higher loneliness levels among employees is associated with poorer work performance.
• Estimates show loneliness costs UK employers £2.5 billion a year, due to its impact on employee sickness, caring activity, productivity, and voluntary staff turnover.

Ask how people are in a more open way. Quite often if you say, ‘how are you’, the answer’s often ‘I’m fine’. Now I say, ‘how are you today out of 10’, then someone has to think about it more. No one is going to be 10/10 all the time, but if it’s, say, a 5, it can strike up a conversation about what’s going on in someone’s life.

Talking is really important and can be a great healer. It isn’t a sign of weakness to express your feelings.

Seek help early on if you feel like you’re starting to suffer; it’s much better to reach out before things get too bad. There are some fantastic charities out there with 24-hour help available, who will keep everything completely confidential.

Give yourself some separation from work. For farmers, getting off the farm sometimes is really important – markets can be helpful for this, and many now have healthcare centres that can offer support.

Look out for each other and try and recognise if a friend, family member or colleague is going downhill, for example if someone suddenly seems like they are not looking after themselves, haven’t seen/heard from them in a while, is smoking or drinking more than usual or starting to look dishevelled.

Action this simple scrabble-style acronym:

USEFUL RESOURCES, MANY WITH TOP TIPS FOR REDUCING LONELINESS:

• Marmalade Trust has ways to get connected and has excellent resources.
• Adam Henson’s Keeping on Track podcast. 
• The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) offers in-person counselling and support for farmers.
• The Farm Safety Foundation (also known as Yellow Wellies) focuses on supporting farmers under 40.
• The National Farming Union (NFU) has a helpline for advice on farming issues
• The DPJ Foundation supports those in agricultural sector in Wales.
• Virtual village hall  is an online activity hub and community, designed to help people stay physically and mentally active, connected and having fun. No sign in or subscription required.

Other resources, although not rural or equestrian specific:

• The Red Cross ‘how to tackle feeling lonely’  
• The Campaign to End Loneliness has lots of ideas and advice for what we can do.

REMEMBER – YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU MATTER.

*Source – https://workplaceinsight.net/we-need-to-talk-about-loneliness/