Loneliness in the news

Loneliness has been featured in the British tabloids over the past fortnight, highlighting its pervasive nature, and impact on health and quality of life, referring to increased suicide rates, and suggesting loneliness is as harmful as a 15 per day smoking habit, or alcoholism

It is worth revisiting the report published last year by the Mental Health Foundation which found that

• 11 percent of the population often experience feelings of loneliness
• single person households doubled from  6% in 1972 to 12% in 2008.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-news/news-archive/2010/2010-05-02/

With communications, entertainment and transportation technology increasingly enabling private lifestyles that entail no contact with others, the role of that urban and public realm design in performs in combatting loneliness by creating places for people, and opportunities for contact is becoming ever more important.