B2 reading: Lonely in a crowd

1 It seems like a contradiction: in a city of several million people, many residents say they feel lonely. Surrounded by neighbours, colleagues and strangers on crowded trains, they can go for days without a meaningful conversation. Surveys in a number of countries suggest that loneliness is common among young adults in cities, not just among older people, as was once assumed.

2 Researchers make a distinction between being alone and feeling lonely. Some people live by themselves and rarely feel lonely; others live with a partner or family and still feel isolated. Loneliness is the gap between the social contact a person wants and the contact they actually have. It is a subjective feeling, which is why two people in the same situation may experience it very differently.

3 The effects on health can be serious. Long-term loneliness has been linked to poor sleep, higher blood pressure, depression and a weaker immune system. Some researchers have compared its impact on life expectancy to that of smoking, although such comparisons are difficult to make precisely. What is clear is that people are social animals, and a lack of connection affects both the body and the mind.

4 City life can make loneliness more likely in several ways. People move frequently, for work or study, and leave behind the networks they had built. Long working hours and long commutes leave little time for friendships. Many city dwellers live alone in small flats, and the anonymity that some people enjoy about city life can also mean that nobody notices when a person is struggling.

5 Yet cities also offer solutions that smaller places cannot. Because so many people live close together, there is a wide range of clubs, classes and volunteering opportunities, from choirs and running groups to community gardens. Some local authorities have started "social prescribing", in which doctors refer lonely patients not to medicine but to activities and groups in their area. Early evaluations suggest that many participants feel better and visit their doctor less often.

6 Design can play a role as well. Housing projects with shared gardens, laundries and common rooms make it easier for neighbours to meet naturally. Public spaces such as libraries, parks and markets give people somewhere to spend time without having to pay, which matters for those on low incomes.

7 Experts emphasise that the first step is often the hardest, and that it is normal to feel awkward when joining a new group. Their advice is to choose an activity you genuinely enjoy, so that the conversation has something to start from, and to go more than once. Friendships, they point out, are built through repeated small contacts rather than one big meeting. In a city full of people, the chance of making a connection is always there; what is needed is a little time, and the courage to take the first step.