The urban loneliness epidemic.
- Kaitlyn Mckinney
- Nov 29, 2025
- 3 min read
The hustle and bustle of a big city is not what you would often describe as being lonely. However, more and more people are reporting feeling lonely in urban areas.
Densely populated areas are often sought after, as they are the epicentre of culture and experiences - but there have been rising rates of anxiety and depression in cities since the mid 2010's.
It is paradoxical, to be surrounded by so many people but to feel so lonely. So why is this?
Many people will point towards the COVID-19 pandemic, being locked inside our houses with little meaningful connections with others. However, lockdown only exacerbated an ever-growing issue within society.
Speaking to the BBC, Claire Jenkins expressed the hard time she had during lockdown.
"It was like being suffocated. It felt like it was a curtain closing around me 360 degrees."
"You just can't get out of bed because there's nothing to get out of bed for," she said.
We are becoming an ever more technological society, with an increased reliance on phones and computers to get through day to day life. This has also caused an addiction to social media.
It makes sense, the alluring nature of being connected to millions of other people in the palm of your hand is hard to resist.
However, social media is a double edged sword.
While it makes connecting with people and finding those with similar interests easier than ever, it can also push the real-life connections to the back. With so much focus being put online, someone may forget to reach out to their friends, to meet up for a coffee.
Face to face connection is essential for humans, for our physical and mental wellbeing. Research shows that social connection has a variety of heath benefits, such as a reduced chance of depression, stroke and dementia.
In Scotland, loneliness has been reported on since 2018, in the Scottish Household survey. It was found that in a week, around a fifth of the population felt lonley (21.3%). This was found to be worse in those aged between 16-34, women, minority groups, and those living within urban areas.
Since then, the numbers have risen. Between 2020 and 2021, more than half the people survey reported feeling lonely in the past week.
Edinburgh has been classed as one of the loneliest places to live, with a third of citizens saying they do not feel apart of or involved in the community.
MSP Miles Briggs stated to Edinburgh News, "it's not just old people who suffer from loneliness - there are a lot of lonely young people who are just sitting on their phones. We need to make loneliness everyone's business."
What is being done to tackle this?
There has been a surge in community groups being created. Focusing on things like running, or crafting, or even reading - so many independent gatherings are cropping up within every city.
It is pretty easy now to find a group for something that you find interesting, and at your skill level. Craft clubs that offer beginner lessons, running clubs that hold slower paced sessions, climbing groups that support those who have never climbed before - the list is endless.
However, because these groups are independent, it can be hard to find them. Thankfully social media allows for the easy advertisement for many groups.
Groups like the Girls Craft Club and the Leith Run Club have managed to thrive due to their social media presence. They both create engaging content and play into recent trends, aiding the algorithm into pushing them forward.
Only an individual can truly get themselves out of lonelieness, but the increase in support and groups to help is heartening - reminding all of us that there is another option and that we are not alone in this.
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