Beyond Blue survey finds loneliness has deeper impact on some Australians' mental health than financial hardship

Soon after moving abroad to Canada in her 20s, Roxy Aila's mental health began to unravel. 

In a demanding, high-pressure advertising job — and thousands of kilometres away from family in Papua New Guinea and Brisbane — anxiety, depression and loneliness set in for the now-42-year-old.

"I was really sad … I'd have up days and down days, but there was prolonged sadness [there] for some weeks and months," Ms Aila said.

"I wasn't myself … but I was in a bit of denial and experiencing shame for not having it all together."

It's an experience that echoes across the country, with a new national report by Beyond Blue revealing loneliness and social isolation has reached new heights.

Of the 5,000 people surveyed, 30 per cent reported feeling "persistently lonely", while respondents dealing with loneliness had higher rates of mental health challenges than those experiencing financial distress.

Declining 'sense of community' 

In particular, the report found loneliness was "more strongly associated" with anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts or behaviours than financial stress.

Beyond Blue chief executive Georgie Harman said the report detailed some "really concerning findings", describing loneliness as an "epidemic" in Australia.

"There's a declining sense of community; people are rating their sense of community lower," she said.

"I think it points to the way we're living our lives — we've never been more connected in a sense, but the data is showing us that people are feeling increasingly disconnected from each other."

Nationally, 33 per cent of respondents rated their sense of being part of a community as "excellent" or "very good", a 4 per cent decrease from 2022.

Almost one in two people aged between 18 and 24 identified loneliness as a key concern.

Ms Harman said it does not discriminate.

The survey also highlighted financial pressure, personal relationship challenges and housing affordability as other prominent sources of stress which impacted mental health.

Changing the conversation

Michelle Lim, who heads a coalition of research organisations called Ending Loneliness Together, said loneliness was still a "highly stigmatised" issue.

"In fact, we know about one in two Australians will actively conceal their loneliness and feel ashamed about it," she said. 

Dr Lim said normalising the experience was key, pointing to the need to "start changing the way we talk about it with our friends, our family and our workplaces".

"And we should talk about connection as a way of just healthy wellbeing," she said. "All of us will become lonely at any given point as we age and progress through life.

Ms Harman said small gestures could make a big difference. 

"Most mental health care actually happens outside of hospitals and health clinics, it happens in communities — schools, in workplaces, around the kitchen time," she said.

The importance of connection

After nearly three years in Toronto, Ms Aila — a Brisbane yoga instructor — returned home to Australia and sought help.

Now, she's found a better work-life balance and can manage life's curveballs.

"When you're depressed, anxious and sad, your natural inclination is to draw back and be on your own, but it's really important as humans to connect with others."