Estonia launches online test to help people understand the causes of loneliness
Estonia has introduced an online test that helps people assess feelings of loneliness. It was developed jointly by the Apotheka pharmacy chain and the mental health organisation Peaasi.ee.
An online test has become available in Estonia that helps people assess their feelings of loneliness and work out what is missing in their relationships with others. It was developed jointly by the Apotheka pharmacy chain and Peaasi.ee, an organisation focused on mental health. The test is part of a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the problem.
According to Linda-Mai Larin, a psychologist at Peaasi.ee, the test is not meant to diagnose anyone or offer a ready-made solution. Its purpose is to help a person make sense of their own feelings and consider what to do next. Larin explained this in a morning broadcast on Radio 4.
Loneliness is not just a lack of contacts
The psychologist stressed that loneliness is not simply the absence of contacts but the absence of the closeness a person needs at a given stage of life. Someone can communicate actively and know many people yet still lack emotional closeness. Loneliness and social isolation are also different things.
A loneliness study carried out in Estonia in late 2025 found that young people aged 16 to 24 are especially likely to experience it. That period involves change: finishing one stage of education and starting another, moving, entering the workforce and searching for one's place in life. Earlier relationships may weaken before new ones become close. According to the study, about half of surveyed Estonian residents had felt lonely at least once in the past month.
Consequences and what to do
Prolonged loneliness can increase anxiety, lower mood and self-esteem, and create a sense of being unneeded. Chronic stress linked to it can also affect physical health. Sometimes it becomes a vicious circle: a person fears being uninteresting or rejected, so takes less initiative and avoids contact more often.
Larin said this does not mean something is wrong with the person. She urged people not to feel ashamed but to treat the feeling as a signal of an unmet need for closeness, acceptance or conversation. Depending on the answer, one might try to reconnect with someone they have not spoken to for a long time. Additional materials are available on the Peaasi.ee website.
