This YouGov research showed that while nearly all students say they felt lonely at least once during the last academic year, almost half have hidden their feelings of loneliness because they feared no one would understand.
The research found that while loneliness is experienced by almost all students (92%), nearly half (43%) worry they would be judged if they admitted to feeling lonely. Over half (53%) feel more uncomfortable seeking help for loneliness - a higher proportion than any other concern listed.
The sample of more than 1,000 students highlighted that concerns about loneliness (52%) came ahead of other major concerns including managing money (49%), course difficulty (49%), finding suitable housing (26%) or even ‘fitting in’ (48%).
However, the research found there was little judgement from others towards those that admitted to feeling lonely. Almost nine in ten (87%) students disagreed they would judge someone who said they felt this way, while 60% said they would strike up a conversation with a friend if they mentioned feeling lonely.
The findings revealed that eight in ten (82%) said they had supported or would support a friend feeling lonely, most often by just starting a conversation and offering reassurance, showing that the issue is far more normal than many perceive.