Lonely Hearts, You're Not Alone

If you’ve been feeling lonely, you’re anything but alone. A report by researchers at Sheffield University and reported by the BBC and Daily Mail states that Britain is far lonelier today than in the last thirty years.

Why so glum? Most of us aren’t even friendly with our own neighbours, and with divorce and globalisation on the rise, people spread out and relocate regularly. Students are more likely to travel in search of quality, specialised education, and job transfers are more common, especially because people seem to have fewer local ties. In that way, the problem becomes a bit of a cycle. With fewer personal attachments, there are fewer reasons to stay put for very long.

The report, which formulated a loneliness index based on the national census and the Office for National Statistics’ population estimates, found that Edinburgh, London, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Devon were among the loneliest places to live.

What does this mean for dating? Only that the need to get proactive is greater than ever. Anyone who has tried long-distance dating knows how exhausting and heartbreaking it can be, and sitting home alone is certainly not a suitable alternative. The good news is that more and more people are opening up to sensible solutions, from professional local introductions like TopMatch, to exchanging friendly hellos with neighbours and co-workers. The world may seem lonely, but the truth is that we are all looking for a little company.