The Smartphone as Lifeline

According to a recent Statistics Canada report,

30% of Canadians indicate they “Always or often feel lonely”

The hard truth is that Gary and Jane’s lives are common in Canada. According to a recent Statistics Canada report, 30% of Canadians indicate they “Always or often feel lonely”. Those who reported the highest levels of loneliness tended to be members of populations most often mistreated or overlooked in our society. 

Loneliness is an often-misunderstood precursor to mental health issues, as well as a factor that worsens pre-existing struggles. There is a big difference between chosen solitude and felt loneliness. Gary’s morning ritual of staring into the void indicates loneliness, whereas choosing to stay indoors to recharge one’s introvert battery signals peaceful solitude. Jane’s self-silencing feels necessary to her to keep up the image she thinks her parents want her to be, but she does so with aching aloneness.

Gary and Jane might benefit from what we call intentional peer support. The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) describes non-professional supports like these as an effective way to “validate personal feelings [and help] individuals feel accepted and less alone. Telecare provides peer support as do other call centres across British Columbia.

Telecare provides peer support as do other call centres across British Columbia.

In fact, the rise of telephone and text message-based listening supports has revolutionized how people can get help. The Kids Help Phone noted in 2015 that 85% of callers experienced a reduction in distress after calling, and participants in a Behavioural Activation in Social Isolation study found that phone-based care provided excellent outcomes for reducing the impact of depression and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For young adults who prefer to express their thoughts and feelings “with their thumbs” rather than phone, research indicates that text and chat support have proven helpful as phone support. (Kids Help Phone) This makes sense as almost half of teens report feeling more comfortable typing their issues rather than voicing them.

Almost half of teens report feeling

more comfortable typing their issues rather than voicing them.

Many people like Gary and Jane telephone Telecare to converse with a warm-hearted volunteer. However, some fear voicing their issues. For such people chat and text-based resources fill an important need for them. Loneliness is an unfortunate reality for many, yet support is a thumb tap away.



By Eric Strom