R: I found it helpful when I’ve gone to groups, not for loneliness I think I’d find it harder to go to a group for loneliness I think I’d find that difficult because it feels, again I’m not judging anybody else but to me I’d feel like being lonely it’s well you’re just lonely, I don’t know it just feels, I’d feel very judgemental about myself with it.

I: So do you think there is a certain stigma to loneliness?

R: Yeah I think for me, again I’m not saying this for other people but it feels tied up that if I admit I’m lonely then it’s me being needy or sort of like oh a bit, bit too much, sort of, I don’t know, I don’t know it just feels a bit, again this is judgemental towards me and not other people but I feel like.

I: Yeah no don’t worry.

R: A bit like a bit pathetic [laughter] I don’t know it just feels, something about it just feels like I’d rather go to a group where I feel able to go to a group for like anxiety, but not able to because too anxious, I mean like the concept of it I wouldn’t judge myself as much whereas loneliness would feel like it doesn’t, yeah but I guess there is a stigma to it.

I: Where do you think it emanates from, where do you think it comes from?

R: I think it feels a little bit like the, I mean it’s a stigma for a lot of mental health problems have improved or lessened, you know, in a positive way [um] recently over the last sort of five years or so, but I guess it feels a bit similar to how depression used to be kind of minimised, like oh come on just pull your socks up or that sort of stuff, which I think is much lesser now [um] there’s a bit more awareness. But I guess it feels a little bit like that kind of like get a grip, like it feels like that kind of attitude still to it.