Exploring the experiences of loneliness in adults with mental health problems: A participatory qualitative interview study.
Mary BirkenBeverley ChippPrisha ShahRachel Rowan OlivePatrick NyikavarandaJackie HardyAnjie ChhapiaNick BarberStephen LeeEiluned PearceBrynmor Lloyd-EvansRosie PerkinsDavid McDaidTheodora StefanidouRoz ShafranAlexandra PitmanSonia JohnsonPublished in: PloS one (2023)
The multiplicity of contributors to loneliness that we identified, and of potential strategies for reducing it, suggest that a variety of approaches are relevant to reducing loneliness among people with mental health problems, including peer support and supported self-help, psychological and social interventions, and strategies to facilitate change at community and societal levels. The views and experiences of adults living with mental health problems are a rich source for understanding why loneliness is frequent in this context and what may address it. Co-produced approaches to developing and testing approaches to loneliness interventions can draw on this experiential knowledge.