I don’t know, I do think like I know it sounds really clichéd but, you know, I’m male and just so any kind of, you know, that straight way you’re thinking you’re kind of admitting, I mean loneliness especially like, you know, if, you know, if, if you think oh I’m lonely, you know, you’re thinking well am I like a loser or a, you know a kind of weird guy or something and it’s just yeah that was a, yeah I don’t know, maybe when you actually read, you know, a bit more about loneliness and you think of the definition you think well yeah, yeah I can completely understand. But yeah it’s I suppose it’s an odd one.

I: You, you talked about masculinity

Yeah

I: And loneliness, why do you think it’s more difficult for men to, to kind of admit and, maybe admit to themselves or admit to their broader circle that they’re lonely?

I don’t know I think it does come at you that you’re a bit of a sad guy or a loser in some way, you know, if you feel that, you know, I don’t, yeah I think that’s, that’s probably something but again that’s specific to men. Like I’m, I’m from the north of England, I think there’s a certain kind of characteristic, characteristic along with that about, you know, the stiff upper lip and stuff like that and I know that’s a British thing.

I: Sorry the?

That stiff upper lip thing, you know, the kind of not really kind of being honest with your feelings anyway but like particularly kind of in the North. I feel like there’s a thing about I don’t know feelings, you know you don’t really talk about them, you know, especially coming from a kind of working class background it’s not really the done thing.

I’d say try and, try and acknowledge it for what it is and even if it’s a bit uncomfortable to even admit to yourself if that’s what it is, you know, just try and take those steps to do something that’s within your comfort zone but is gonna take you out of that, you know, you don’t have to go and join a club or anything or you can do it on your own terms but, you know, there’s always things that you can do just to take some baby steps out of it whether it is joining a group on social media or it might be, you know, joining an actual club or maybe it’s just, I don’t know go for a walk and bumping into somebody or maybe getting, getting a dog, you get a dog and so long as you can look after the dog if you’ve got money for stuff or you might meet other dog owners, you might even join a dog owners club or something but it’s like just try and take those baby steps out of it. And yeah don’t be ashamed to admit it and if you’ve got good friends and family around you, you know, just, you know acknowledge it with them because yeah it will be uncomfortable but ultimately you’ll be in a better place.

I’d say try and, try and acknowledge it for what it is and even if it’s a bit uncomfortable to even admit to yourself if that’s what it is, you know, just try and take those steps to do something that’s within your comfort zone but is gonna take you out of that, you know, you don’t have to go and join a club or anything or you can do it on your own terms but, you know, there’s always things that you can do just to take some baby steps out of it whether it is joining a group on social media or it might be, you know, joining an actual club or maybe it’s just, I don’t know go for a walk and bumping into somebody or maybe getting, getting a dog, you get a dog and so long as you can look after the dog if you’ve got money for stuff or you might meet other dog owners, you might even join a dog owners club or something but it’s like just try and take those baby steps out of it. And yeah don’t be ashamed to admit it and if you’ve got good friends and family around you, you know, just, you know acknowledge it with them because yeah it will be uncomfortable but ultimately you’ll be in a better place.