1 in 6 people feel lonely. So why is it still so hard to say out loud?
Loneliness & connection · Équipe Viatous · 4 min
“I’m exhausted.” “I’ve got too much on.” “I just don’t have time.” Those lines come out on their own, by the coffee machine or over family dinner. And then there’s the one people keep to themselves, like something to hide: “I feel lonely.”
If you’ve thought it without ever saying it, here’s some news that sounds odd but is genuinely comforting: you are far, far from the only one.
The numbers that change the picture
In June 2025, the WHO Commission on Social Connection published its first global report. Its finding: 1 in 6 people worldwide are affected by loneliness . And this isn’t just about feeling low: the WHO links loneliness to around 100 deaths every hour, more than 871,000 a year ( WHO, 2025 ).
In France, the Fondation de France loneliness study published in January 2025 found that 24% of people over 15 regularly feel lonely, and that more than 8 in 10 of them suffer from it ( Fondation de France, 2025 ). The next edition, published in January 2026, found the same thing: nearly a quarter of people in France feel lonely ( Fondation de France, 2026 ).
One in four. Count it out on your train, in your team, around the family table: there’s very likely someone who feels exactly like you do, and who doesn’t dare say it either.
Where the shame comes from
If it’s this common, why is it so hard to admit? Three reasons keep coming up.
We think it’s a personal failure. As if feeling lonely meant you weren’t interesting or likeable enough. It doesn’t.
We’re afraid of being a burden. The Fondation de France notes that during hard times, some people withdraw for fear of wearing out the people around them. Silence becomes a kind of politeness, and an expensive one.
We compare. Social media shows everyone else in groups, on holiday, at parties. You never see their Sunday nights.
Loneliness isn’t a character flaw. The WHO describes it as a gap between the connections you want and the ones you have. A gap can be closed. But first you have to be able to name it.
Talking about it without making it a big deal
Pick one person
No grand announcement, no solemn dinner. One person you trust is enough: a friend, a sibling, a colleague you get along with.
Keep the words simple
“I’ve been feeling a bit lonely lately. I just wanted to tell someone.”
“Would you be up for seeing each other more often? It would do me good.”
You don’t have to justify or explain everything. One honest sentence is enough to open the door a crack.
Talk about what you want, not just what’s missing
“I’d love to have people to go walking with at weekends” is easier to hear, and easier to help with, than “nobody ever thinks of me.” A specific wish invites a concrete answer.
And if someone opens up to you?
One day, you may be the one hearing those words. If someone close tells you they feel lonely, don’t hunt for the perfect line. Listen, don’t brush it off (“Come on, you’ve got loads of friends!”), and offer something concrete: a call next week, a walk, a meal. The gesture matters more than the words.
When it gets too heavy
Sometimes loneliness settles in and ends up weighing on everything else. Asking for help isn’t a weakness.
If loneliness turns into distress , you don’t have to wait for it to pass on its own. In France, 3114 (free, 24/7) supports people in psychological distress or with suicidal thoughts, and those close to them. In an emergency in France, call 112 , or text 114 if you can’t speak. If you live elsewhere, contact your country’s emergency services. A family doctor can also point you to the right help, and in France the Mon soutien psy scheme covers sessions with a psychologist.
A place where nobody has to explain themselves
On Viatous, you don’t have to write “I feel lonely.” You just write what you feel like doing, and Viatous looks for compatible people to form a Room of 2 to 4 people, online or in person.
It can be as light as: “Looking for two or three people for a photo walk on Saturday afternoon.”
Roomi, the Viatous robot, welcomes the group, goes over the rules and hosts the activity. You come with your first name, the camera is optional, and you can leave whenever you like. The free plan includes one completed Room per week, no card needed.
It isn’t therapy, and it doesn’t replace a professional. It’s simply an easy way to go from “I don’t dare” to “let’s do it.” So instead of the sentence you keep to yourself, if you could write just one thing you’d like to do tonight, what would it be? See how it works .