Loneliness

Mr. Chowdhury’s three children live in London, Sydney and Toronto, and all three are doing well. His wife died two winters ago. The flat in Banani is large and quiet, the cook leaves at four, and the phone rings on Sundays. During the week he speaks to almost no one. He tells the children he is fine.

An illustration drawn from common experience. The person is invented; the pattern is not.

Understanding loneliness

Loneliness is the painful feeling that our connections are fewer or thinner than we need. It is not the same as being alone, and it can affect anyone: older people whose children have migrated, young people in a new city, new mothers, people after divorce or bereavement. Long-term loneliness is linked with depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and physical illness.

How common it is

WHO’s Commission on Social Connection reported in June 2025 that about 1 in 6 people worldwide is affected by loneliness, and that loneliness is linked to an estimated 871,000 deaths a year.

Signs worth noticing

• Days with no real conversation
• Withdrawing from invitations, prayer gatherings or old friends
• Low mood, poor sleep, loss of appetite
• Saying “I’m fine” more often than meaning it

How care helps

A consultation checks for depression, which often grows in loneliness and needs its own treatment. Therapy then helps rebuild connection in realistic steps: one regular visit, a class, a group, a role that brings people back into the week.

What getting better can look like

Mr. Chowdhury might find a weekly chess game at the club, Friday prayers with a neighbour, and a Sunday call in which he has news of his own.

Common questions about loneliness

Can loneliness make you ill?

Long-term loneliness is linked with depression, anxiety, poor sleep and physical illness. WHO’s Commission on Social Connection reported in 2025 that loneliness is linked to an estimated 871,000 deaths a year. Loneliness is common, affecting about 1 in 6 people worldwide, and connection can be rebuilt.

Our parents live alone in Dhaka while we are abroad. How can we help?

Regular calls help, but connection close to home often matters more: one regular visit, a class, a group, or a role that brings people back into the week. If loneliness has turned into low mood, poor sleep or loss of appetite, a doctor can check for depression, which needs its own treatment.

When to see a psychiatrist

If loneliness has turned into low mood, or someone you love seems to be fading from view, it is worth a conversation.

Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Sources

• World Health Organization, Commission on Social Connection, June 2025