The case in summary Jostein Vedvik has been a volunteer for a long time. Having friends and a network has helped him, also when he moved home to Førde. A survey carried out by the Red Cross shows that 30 per cent of young adults (25-29 years) feel lonely, an increase of 6 percentage points from last year. Psychologist and researcher Thomas Hansen says that those who volunteer experience better mental health and quality of life. Hansen warns against a culture of self-realization that can lead to loneliness, and encourages people to form bonds and nurture social networks. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. When Jostein Vedvik (27) moved home to Førde after several years of working in Austlandet, things had changed. – Many of my old friends had moved away. Getting into new networks was not only easy. Then he was glad that he had the volunteers to lean on. Young adults can be extra vulnerable to loneliness, the Red Cross believes. Busy working days and fewer social arenas A recent survey commissioned by the Red Cross shows that in the group of those between the ages of 25-29, the majority answer that they feel lonely. A third of this age group says they feel lonely at the moment, an increase of 6 percentage points from last year. Some of the main findings from the survey One in five Norwegians (20 per cent) feel lonely at the moment. This is an increase from the same time last year (17 per cent). The proportion of lonely people is highest in the younger half of the population, where more than one in four under the age of 40 report feeling lonely at the moment. In the 25-29 age group, 30 per cent state that they feel lonely at the moment, an increase of 6 percentage points from last year. In the 40-49 age group, there is also an increase of 6 percentage points compared to last year. In the other age groups, the increase is not as great. A total of 14 per cent state that they experience more loneliness during holidays than usual. This is approximately the same number as last year. Women experience the greatest degree of loneliness during holidays than men (19 per cent of women against 11 per cent of men). The survey was carried out by Opinion on behalf of the Red Cross. It is nationally representative and is done annually. June 2024 is compared with June 2023. This year there were 1,008 respondents. Annually, there are approximately 1,000 respondents. – It makes me sad and uneasy that there are so many who state it, says Kaia Vedlog Kveen, public health analyst at the Red Cross. Kaia Vedlog Kveen is a public health analyst at the Red Cross and is concerned that the feeling of loneliness is increasing among several groups in the country. – We see that loneliness is a big problem in Norway, says Vedlog Kveen. Photo: Red Cross She points out that young adults are often extra vulnerable to loneliness because they move to new places to start working life. – Busy working days and fewer social venues than as a new student can make it difficult to find a sense of community in a new place, she says. Vedvik agrees. – You have finished your studies and are moving home to a network that is not the same as before. It is a lot about finding your place, which is not always easy. For him, the solution has always been to get involved voluntarily and to make an effort for others. Since his teenage years, he has been a volunteer in various organisations. Jostein Vedvik has for many years been active in the Red Cross, among other things creating meeting places for others. Photo: Ingeborg Grindheim Slinde / news Does helping others help? Loneliness is dangerous for both our mental and physical health. – It can lead to increased stress and affect the immune system, explains psychologist and researcher at the Institute of Public Health, Thomas Hansen. It is not a bad idea to look outwards if you feel lonely. Research into quality of life has shown that you can help yourself by helping others. – Those who volunteer experience better mental health and quality of life, says Hansen. This is what the research says about voluntary work Even though there is not too much research on voluntary work and loneliness, research has shown that those who engage voluntarily experience better mental health and quality of life. – But it is difficult to establish the causal direction. Because volunteerism attracts those who are already resourceful and outgoing, says Thomas Hansen in FHI. He has recently submitted a report to the Ministry of Health in which the effects of various measures against loneliness have been reviewed. – There is no quick fix. Most measures have weak or moderate effects. People are so different and there are so many different types of loneliness. FHI has reviewed various measures against loneliness, you can read about the findings here. Source: Thomas Hansen, researcher on quality of life and loneliness at the Institute of Public Health. For some, mental loneliness can lead to an unfortunate pattern where one becomes a bit self-absorbed, and one’s own problems constantly come into focus, explains the researcher. – Then shifting the focus outside can be beneficial. Unfortunate culture of self-realization A sign of the times is to focus inward and to, for example, protect oneself from “toxic” people and situations. Hansen calls it a culture of self-realisation, and thinks this focus can be unfortunate when it comes to quality of life and loneliness. – Forging bonds, nurturing social networks and experiencing a sense of community is something most of us need, and is more important than what we can get the impression of in a society with such a strong focus on self-realisation. And then voluntary work can counteract this. – I believe that many people can reduce the feeling of loneliness by participating in voluntary work, he says. – Many say that they are so busy and have to focus on themselves. Why should one actually spend time on others? – People need people. I think creating social arenas and activities for others is very important, says Vedvik. He has met some of his best friends through voluntary work. Do you need someone to talk to? If you need to talk to someone after reading this case, there are several helplines, chat rooms and support groups where you can share your thoughts and feelings completely anonymously, and get support and advice: Mental health on helpline: 116 123 Mental health also has a chat, which you can find at mentalhelse.no. Chat service from Kirkens SOS: soschat.no Church SOS also has a helpline: 22 40 00 40 Cross on the neck from the Red Cross: 800 33 321 Cross on the neck also has a chat: korspåhalsen.no In an emergency, call 113 Sami national competence service – mental health care and drugs 78 96 74 00 Published 26.07.2024, at 05.30
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Several young adults state that they feel lonely at the moment – news Vestland
