Loneliness is no 1 topic for 1.2m in Germany calling counselling

Loneliness remains one of the main reasons why people in Germany seek out telephone counselling services, the chairman of a working group in the sector told dpa.

"We often hear phrases like: 'I haven't spoken to anyone today,'" Ludger Storch, chairman of a national telephone counselling working group, told dpa. Many people lost their social contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not built any new ones to date, he said.

Around 1.2 million people seeking help called the telephone counselling service this year in Germany, about the same as in 2023, Storch said.

Additionally, there have been over 45,000 contacts via email and 39,500 via chat - about 3,000 more than the previous year. This is because more staff are now offering chat counselling. Approximately 7,700 volunteers work across Germany in the telephone counselling sector.

Global situation affecting people's moods

Besides loneliness, Storch explained that family problems, such as conflicts between couples or with children, are among the most frequent issues. "Many people call multiple times at intervals and want to discuss how a problem has developed," said Storch, who leads the telephone counselling service in Bochum.

About a third of those seeking advice reportedly suffer from depression or another mental illness, according to their own statements. The discussions often also involve suicidal thoughts.

The current global situation often arises in conversations, affecting the callers' spirits. "The underlying tone is then: 'We live in difficult times with crises, wars and inflation.' This is woven into many conversations - even though the caller's actual subject is different," explained Storch. "But many people appear burdened and distressed by it."