Loneliness is common, and it matters
Loneliness is the gap between the connection you want and the connection you have. You can feel lonely in a crowd or content alone; it's about how you feel, not how many people are around.
Long-lasting loneliness affects sleep, mood, and physical health, and it often travels with depression and anxiety. The good news is that it can change.
About this self-check
The three questions are a short version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, used in large health surveys around the world.
Your answers stay in your browser. Saycalm doesn't see or store them, and only sends them anywhere if you ask us to email you your results.
The questions
Three questions about how often you feel disconnected from others, from "Hardly ever" to "Often".
- How often do you feel that you lack companionship?
- How often do you feel left out?
- How often do you feel isolated from others?
Common questions
Is loneliness a mental health condition?
Not on its own, but it's closely linked to depression and anxiety, and it can be both a cause and a result of them. If it's been weighing on you for a while, it's a good reason to talk to someone.
What actually helps with loneliness?
Regular, low-pressure contact: shared activities, groups built around an interest, volunteering, or reconnecting with one person at a time. Therapy can help if anxiety or low mood make reaching out hard.
Three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Hughes, M.E., Waite, L.J., Hawkley, L.C., and Cacioppo, J.T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys. Research on Aging 26(6):655–672. Used for screening only; not a diagnosis.
