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full screen Hundreds of thousands of Swedes lack a person they can talk to about everything. Archive image. Photo: Gorm Kallestad /NTB/TT
Around 700,000 people in Sweden have no one to talk to about personal matters. And more men than women state that they do not have a close friend.
Hundreds of thousands of people do not have a close friend, according to new figures from Statistics Norway (SCB). The differences between the sexes are greatest in the ages between 20 and 29 years and between 40 and 49 years. In total, roughly 9 percent of men and 6 percent of women over the age of 16 state that they lack someone they can talk to about anything.
– It is more than twice as common that foreign-born people lack a close friend than domestic-born people. Even among those born abroad, it is more common for men to miss a close friend, says Thomas Helgeson, section manager at Statistics Norway.
The question of close friends is part of the extensive survey on lifestyle habits that Statistics Norway has carried out regularly since 1975. Over time, the percentage who do not have a close friend has fallen somewhat. Anyone who looks at the statistics sees a noticeable change from 2020. But according to Thomas Helgeson, this is due to a changed formulation of the question.
– Until 2020, it was stated that spouses, husbands or common-law partners would not be counted. But that wording has been removed so now these can be included among those you can talk to about anything, says Thomas Helgeson.
He points out that Statistics Norway does not value whether it is good or bad not to have someone to talk to about everything and that the need can be individual.