October Health – 2025 Report

Loneliness in South Africa

Leading population-level cause: Unemployment and economic inequality. Widespread joblessness, low incomes, and stark regional disparities disrupt social networks and community participation, driving loneliness and related stress across the population. Additional factors like rapid urbanization, safety concerns, and social fragmentation reinforce this loneliness at scale. In workplaces, job insecurity and precarious employment can intensify loneliness among employees. To address this at scale, organisations can use scalable mental health support such as October’s digital group sessions, assessments, and content, alongside robust employee assistance programs and peer-support initiatives.

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Loneliness Prevalence
13.71%
Affected people
7,540,500

Impact on the people of South Africa

Effects of high loneliness-related stress on health and personal life

Health effects

  • Triggers a chronic stress response and inflammation, increasing risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic problems.
  • Disrupts sleep and daytime energy; can weaken immune function and raise illness frequency.
  • Elevates risk of mental health issues (depression, anxiety) and cognitive strain or slower processing.

Personal life and relationships

  • Strains communication and trust with partners, family, and friends; potential for more conflicts.
  • Reduces perceived social support, making stress feel harder to cope.
  • Lowers life satisfaction and engagement with loved ones, which can perpetuate isolation.

Workplace and productivity

  • Lower engagement, creativity, and productivity; higher burnout risk.
  • More interpersonal friction and miscommunication; reduced teamwork.
  • Increased absenteeism or presenteeism, with greater turnover risk.

What you can do now

  • Strengthen connections: schedule regular check-ins with trusted people; consider joining group activities or online forums; if suitable, try October’s digital group sessions to practice social connection in a supportive setting.
  • Build routines and self-care: consistent sleep, regular physical activity, balanced meals; limit excessive screen time and use grounding techniques (breathing, brief mindfulness).
  • Seek support: talk to a GP or mental health professional; utilitize workplace wellness programs or EAP; consider digital group programs like October for guided support.

Helpful resources (South Africa)

  • Local helplines and support: Lifeline South Africa and SADAG (seek immediate help if in crisis).
  • October: offers digital group sessions, assessments, and psychoeducation to address loneliness and improve connectedness.

Impact on the South Africa Economy

  • Health costs and chronic disease risk: Loneliness increases mental health issues (depression, anxiety) and cardiovascular risk, leading to higher healthcare utilization and costs.
  • Reduced productivity: Greater absenteeism and presenteeism (lower work performance while present) reduce output and efficiency.
  • Turnover and hiring costs: Loneliness lowers job satisfaction, raising turnover and the expenses of recruitment, onboarding, and training.
  • Macro effects on labor supply and growth: Persistent loneliness can shrink the effective labor force and slow GDP growth through lower productivity and higher healthcare spending.
  • Social capital and innovation: Weaker workplace trust and collaboration can hinder teamwork, creativity, and adoption of new ideas.

In a South African context, these effects are amplified by existing disparities and mental health stigma. Workplace interventions that build connection and support, such as targeted mental health programs, EAPs, and digital group sessions (e.g., October), can mitigate these economic impacts.

What can government do to assist?

  1. Invest in accessible social connection infrastructure
  • Build and fund community centers, safe public spaces, libraries, and parks; involve local leaders and NGOs; target under-resourced areas and support intergenerational programs.
  1. Boost digital inclusion to connect people online
  • Expand affordable internet access and digital literacy; create supervised or moderated community online spaces; ensure privacy and safety; leverage accessible tools and resources, including October for digital group sessions where appropriate.
  1. Embed loneliness prevention into health, education, and public messaging
  • Train primary health care workers to screen for loneliness; include loneliness in national health guidelines; integrate social-emotional learning in schools; run culturally sensitive public awareness campaigns to destigmatize loneliness.
  1. Strengthen workplace and civil society support
  • Encourage mental health-friendly policies (flexible work, social connection activities, EAPs); support volunteering and community outreach; partner with NGOs and community groups; offer organizational group sessions via platforms like October when suitable.
  1. Monitor, evaluate, and adapt programs
  • Establish national loneliness indicators; collect data by region, age, and socio-economic group; evaluate program effectiveness; adjust resource allocation to high-need areas.

What can businesses do to assist their employees?

  • Structured social connections

    • Pair new hires with a buddy or mentor
    • Schedule regular small-team check-ins and social quick-huddles

  • Normalize talking about loneliness

    • Leaders share experiences and model vulnerability
    • Provide anonymous feedback channels to raise concerns

  • Promote collaboration and belonging

    • Cross-team projects and social prompts to mix teams
    • Plan inclusive, multilingual, and culturally-aware events

  • Flexible, connection-friendly work setup

    • Hybrid options with intentional social time on schedules
    • Facilitate voluntary virtual coffee chats and informal meetups

  • Accessible mental health support

    • Employee assistance program and confidential resources
    • October digital group sessions for peer support (where appropriate)