London - They offer a shoulder to cry on and are always there to support us through life’s ups and downs.
But according to a survey, one in ten people do not have a single friend to call their own, while a lonely one in five confess to rarely or never feeling loved.
Nearly half of those polled – 42 percent – say they have no friends at work to make the nine-to-five routine more bearable. Relate, the relationship charity which carried out the survey, said while the vast majority do have at least one close friend, it is “concerning” that one in ten do not.
The poll of more than 5 000 people, which looked at all aspects of relationships, found that 91 percent have at least one good friend. It also revealed a clear gender difference between how close we feel to the friends we have – 81 percent of women described the quality of their friendships as good or very good, compared to only 73 percent of men.
Women also reported that their friendships improve with age, whereas men’s remain the same throughout life.
Ruth Sutherland, chief executive of Relate, said she was worried about the lack of support some people endured. “Whilst there is much to celebrate, the results around how close we feel to others are very concerning,” she said. “Relationships are the asset which can get us through good times and bad, and it is worrying to think that there are people who feel they have no one they can turn to during life’s challenges.
“We know that strong relationships are vital for both individuals and society as a whole, so investing in them is crucial.” - Daily Mail