The federal government wants to take action against loneliness

Loneliness can become a problem. Not just for those affected, but also for society as a whole, says Family Minister Paus. Action weeks are intended to raise awareness. There won’t be any more money.

Depression, heart disease or dementia – those who are permanently lonely have a higher risk of becoming ill. Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus from the Green Party says millions of people in Germany are affected by loneliness.

According to the ministry, significantly more people have felt socially isolated since the Corona pandemic: “We know that this has skyrocketed to 40 percent in Germany during Corona,” said the minister. Even after Corona, it didn’t go away again. “We still have high values, and young people and very old people are particularly affected by this.”

Paus: Clear and massive problem for democracy

The family minister also sees this as a problem for the state. And that’s when more and more people withdraw because they lose trust in society: “Then that’s something that essentially makes our society fragile and destroys it,” says Paus. “This is a clear and massive problem for democracy and that is why we are all well advised to do something about loneliness.”

The strategy paper against loneliness, which has now been approved by the federal cabinet, is 30 pages long. The aim is to draw attention to the topic through action weeks. In companies or clubs, employees should be trained to recognize signs of loneliness and react to them. Socially isolated people should be given greater support. For example, through leisure activities, but also through faster help with psychological problems.

There are no additional financial resources

Paus admits that this requires more than a strategy paper: “But we also know that we have a shortage of therapy places, especially for young people, that there is considerable need and long waiting lists.” It is important and long overdue that there are special licenses for psychologists who can also work psychotherapeutically with young people.

The Family Minister is not planning any additional financial resources to implement the strategy’s projects. The structures such as sports clubs in which the measures should take effect already exist, says Paus. This is exactly what the German Patient Protection Foundation criticizes. More money is urgently needed because many initiatives in the municipalities are simply lacking.