the shame of the L word
In Gail Honeyman ’ s novel , Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine , the protagonist describes loneliness as the new cancer , ‘ a shameful , embarrassing thing , brought upon yourself in some obscure way . A fearful , incurable thing , so horrifying that you dare not mention it .’
Mark Rowland , Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation , has said that prevention is the best tool we have in overcoming this huge issue . ‘ Prevention is the best tool we have to alleviate these negative experiences by creating the conditions in which young people feel more connected , more able to talk about their problems , and to find help they can rely on .’ ( Rowland , 2019 )
“ Only 54 % of young adults feel they are able to speak about their emotions with others ” ( Mental Health Foundation , 2019 )
By addressing these issues , we can make big inroads into the problems surrounding loneliness . The solution will be giving young people the chance to feel more connected and talk about how they feel without any social pressures . The concept will allow young people the conditions to feel safe , while giving them the tools to feel more connected within their own lives .
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Fig 13