New research commissioned by Beavertown Brewery has shone a light on the challenges adults in Scotland face in making new friends, revealing that over a third (39%) would love to make new friendships, but over half (61%) feel either anxious or nervous about it.
The study, which surveyed 2,000 participants, found that adults typically stop making new friends around the age of 30 to 34, with 1 in 10 (10%) of those in Scotland not having formed a new friendship since then.
According to the OnePoll.com data, over half (55%) of Scots think it’s harder to make friends or meet new people as you get older, with a third admitting they’d be nervous at the prospect.
The study also found that out of those who feel most lonely in January, 29% put it down to people not wanting to socialise after Christmas, 57% say it’s due to the weather, and 71% blame it on the fact that it’s too dark to go out anywhere.
According to the survey, nearly half (47%) of all adults in Scotland would be unlikely to admit feelings of loneliness to someone else, with over half (62%) believing there is a societal taboo around adult loneliness.
Despite this, 40% of Scots would take a class to learn a new skill in a bid to make new friendships, while 16% would give meet-up apps a go.
Tom Rainsford, Marketing Director of Beavertown Brewery, said: “Let’s be honest, January can feel like a month of Mondays, and with people out and about, it can also be a month when feelings of loneliness surface.
“At Beavertown we’re all about creating moments that bring people together, which is why, with our charity partner CALM – we’ve launched our series of community events in a month where going out and meeting mates might normally feel like a challenge.
“Why not give it a try – and join us in our shout to crush loneliness this January.”
Matt Jennings, CMO at Campaign Against Living Miserably said: “Let’s face it, with the festive fun over, getting through January can feel like a mountain to climb. And with millions of people reporting that they feel lonely some or most of the time, finding ways to bring people together couldn’t be more important.
“That’s why we’re excited to team up with Beavertown to help make this notorious month feel less miserable with a series of free climbing events to hopefully spark new friendships and hobbies – and show that we’re not alone.”
This January, Beavertown Brewery and CALM invite everyone to Crush Loneliness together and take a proactive step toward building meaningful connections.
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