Loneliness is often described as a silent pandemic in Germany. The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office indicate that one in six people over the age of 10 often feel lonely — that's around 12.2 million people.

Loneliness is defined by psychologists as a perceived discrepancy between desired and actual social relationships, and is different from social isolation. Statistics show that in Germany young people are the worst affected: A quarter of young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 say they often feel lonely.

Family Minister Lisa Paus of the Green Party has described loneliness as one of the most pressing issues of our time, not just because of the associated health risks — including a higher risk of heart disease, strokes, dementia and depression — but also because it weakens social cohesion.

The study "Extrem Einsam" ("Extremely Lonely"), part of the Kollekt project funded by the Federal Family Affairs Ministry, suggests loneliness could also harbor a threat to democracy. Researchers found a link between loneliness and anti-democratic attitudes: An inclination toward populism, the belief in conspiracy theories, authoritarian attitudes and the approval of political rule-breaking and violence.

"These aren't causal connections, but there is a correlation," said Claudia Neu, a sociologist and one of the authors of the study. People who experience loneliness over a long period of time begin to perceive the world more negatively, as being darker and more threatening — they trust other people less, but also their........

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