There is a huge conflict between the fact that cities are more densely populated than ever before yet reports of isolation and loneliness are at a high. It seems that living in large communities does not prevent loneliness, so is it a state of mind or is it something more fundamental and potentially flawed in the way our societies operate today?

In February 2018 The BBC Loneliness Experiment was launched on BBC Radio 4 in collaboration with Wellcome Collection. The online survey was created by three leading academics in the field of loneliness research. Results were revealed in October 2018 and presented some surprising insights into modern loneliness.

With the highest levels of loneliness reported in 16-24 year olds, the expectations of socialising for our youth has clearly taken a very different turn. Those over the age of 75 reported feeling the least lonely. It is thought that social media and technologies have a role to play at both ends of the spectrum. We have the potential to make virtual contact with many more people from all over the world, but the face to face interaction and relationships may have suffered as a result.

For more information, check out the following BBC Loneliness study-the results