Amid elevated media attention to what has been labeled the “male loneliness epidemic,” a new Pew Research study has found that men and women are almost equally likely to feel lonely. When asked if they feel lonely “all” or “most of the time,” 15% of women and 16% of men surveyed said, “Yes.”
Greater disparities in loneliness are found in other distinctions between groups, with married people (8%) far less likely to be lonely than unpartnered people (24%) or those living with a partner (21%). Similarly, those with higher incomes (8%) are less likely to experience extreme loneliness than those with lower incomes (23%).
Although they experience loneliness at similar rates, women have a greater variety of people they reach out to in moments of loneliness than men. Among married people, 74% of both women and men say they are likely to reach out to their partner for emotional support if they are experiencing difficulties. For every other potential resource for support, women are more likely to access them than men.
For example, 54% of women, but only 42% of men, are comfortable reaching out to their mothers for emotional support. As for friends, 54% of women and only 38% of men will reach out.
Low rates of both women (22%) and men (16%) feel comfortable reaching out to mental health professionals during emotionally challenging times.
Hispanics (25%) and those racialized as Black (26%) are more likely than White (16%) and Asian (17%) adults to seek the help of mental health professionals for emotional support.
More data and the survey’s methodology can be found here.
Senior Editor at Good Faith Media.