English journalist Henry Burrell moved to New Zealand in 2019. Photo / Supplied
English journalist Henry Burrell moved to New Zealand in 2019. Photo / Supplied
New data shows rising levels of loneliness among new migrants in New Zealand, and a jump in those feeling lonely most or all of the time.
Henry Burrell got to know loneliness when he went from having all his closest friends in London to being in Auckland where he had none.
The English journalist bought a one-way ticket to join his Kiwi wife in 2019, and worked from home as a freelancer that first year.
"Suddenly I was on a plane and then I was in a house in Auckland trying to work for myself for the first time. I didn't realise it at first but after about six months I realised, oh wait a minute, I don't have any colleagues," he said.
New data released by Stats NZ this month shows rising levels of loneliness among recent migrants, says the Helen Clark Foundation, which has been looking into loneliness since early 2020.
The figures tell a concerning story about the new migrant experience in New Zealand, says deputy director Holly Walker, who leads the foundation's research on loneliness.
Recent migrants, defined as people who arrived in New Zealand in the last five years, are less likely to have formed social and support networks compared to residents and those who have been here for longer.
"Covid-19 border closures, prolonged separation from family and friends overseas, and the uncertainty about how long this will continue must be contributing factors," Walker said.
Burrell found it hard to make friends in Auckland. "I don't condone going to the pub every week night, but in England there's more of a culture of (people inviting others to) hey, come for a drink!"
His home city London has a population of 9 million, double New Zealand's entire population.
"There was too much to do, people are always out ... pre-Covid anyway. So coming here I was like, where's all the stuff? What do I do?"
Why it matters
Short bouts of loneliness are part of life, but consistent and prolonged loneliness can have profound negative consequences for health and wellbeing, according to the foundation's Still Alone Together report released in April.
Perceptions of being 'separated from the group' can trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response that, if maintained for long periods, can disrupt hormones and sleep, heighten the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Mumbai native and AUT postgraduate CVR Shastry came to New Zealand in 2018. Photo / Supplied
Work killed CVR Shastry's social life, for a while.
The Mumbai native worked long and unsocial hours as a dishwasher for a year after completing his Master's degree at the Auckland University of Technology in 2019. He wasn't allowed to use his phone at work, and his colleagues were not on the same wavelength.
Shastry has 465 Facebook friends, and more than 1200 connections on LinkedIn. He created a new Facebook profile for life here after realising that "India and New Zealand are fundamentally different countries".
Case in point, last year he used a profile picture of himself with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on social media. Friends and family back home started asking if he was "dating this lady".
"In India politicians are really old and they didn't know who she was," he said.
He's vegetarian and doesn't drink, which has complicated socialising, he says. He feels lonely 70 per cent of the time.
"I have a lot of friends but I do not really have close friends. I live alone, stay active on social media, keep the engagement and notifications buzzing."
Blenheim mum Alyssa May with husband Tim and children Skylar and Archer. Photo / Supplied
Nearly 40 per cent of new migrants surveyed in March said they felt lonely none of the time, a drop from 46.2 per cent in pre-Covid 2018.
Blenheim mother-of-two and part-time banking assistant Alyssa May belongs here. Originally from Singapore, she doesn't recall feeling lonely in the nearly three years since she arrived.
"Maybe I'm too busy to feel lonely because I'm always surrounded by noisy kids who are always pestering me to do things for them."
She also has a group of friends - wives of her husband's friends and parents of her children's school friends - who have helped her settle into Kiwi life.
"I don't feel too much like an outsider," she said. On the contrary, she now feels the need to teach her children a bit more about her Singapore and Malay heritage.
"Human beings are wired for connection. It is as fundamental as our need for food, warmth, and shelter," says Walker of the foundation.
She says loneliness for new migrants is an important public policy issue.
"The fact that this is currently so concentrated among the specific group of new migrants creates real equity issues ... Now more than ever, we need to roll out the welcome mat to our recent migrants."
Englishman Burrell now works with real people in an office as technology editor at subscription news site BusinessDesk.
Last Christmas was a lonely time. Family and friends had planned to visit but Covid-19 put paid to that.
He's not complaining about going to the beach at Christmas and is grateful for the social freedoms in Covid-free New Zealand, but he missed the cold weather, carols and mulled wine of the European Christmas he grew up with.
Overall, he would say he's lonely some of the time.
"I suppose it comes in waves, I'm not constantly sitting there pining for England's green hills."
